Filmmakers Discuss Their Documentary “Nasrin”

WELL, I'D DONE SEVERAL OTHER FILMS ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN, SOME WITH AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL.

EACH FILM GAVE ME A DEEPER AND DEEPER APPRECIATION OF IRANIAN PEOPLE, IRANIAN CULTURE, AND REALIZATION THAT THERE'S A BIG GAP, OFTEN, BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF A COUNTRY AND THE LEADERSHIP OF A COUNTRY.

PART OF THAT PROCESS ALSO CONNECTED ME TO THE AMAZING WORK OF NASRIN SOTOUDEH, WHO I ADMIRED FROM AFAR.

OVER THE COURSE OF THIS FILM, WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO ADMIRE FROM CLOSE UP, THOUGH STILL DISTANCED BY 7,000 MILES.

WE REACHED OUT TO HER IN 2016 TO ASK IF WE COULD DO A FILM ABOUT HER LIFE AND HER WORK.

AND WE BOTH HAD THE SAME FEELING AT THE VERY BEGINNING THAT THROUGH HER, IT WOULD BE A CONNECTION TO IRAN IN A DIFFERENT WAY, AND ALSO A PORTRAIT OF A WHOLE COMMUNITY OF ACTIVISTS.

NASRIN WOULD ALWAYS BE THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY HER WORK IS JUST PART OF A LARGER COMMUNITY EFFORT.

INDEED.

MARCIA, HE IS A VERY SELF-EFFACING WOMAN.

YOU WATCH THIS HOUR AND A HALF DOCUMENTARY, AND SHE'S NOT A FIREBRAND, IT'S NOT LIKE SHE'S CHALLENGING THE TENETS AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC.

SHE'S JUST TRYING TO GET THE PEOPLE'S FREEDOMS WITHIN REASON OVER THERE, WHETHER IT'S THE FREEDOM TO DRESS HOW THEY LIKE, THE FREEDOM TO SPEAK, THE FREEDOM TO CONGREGATE WHERE AND WITH WHOM THEY WANT.

WHAT ABOUT HER PERSONALLY, DO YOU THINK, DID YOU FIND COMPELLING?

COMPELLING ENOUGH TO MAKE THIS FILM?

I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT HER, AND I THINK YOU TOUCH UPON SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT, WHICH IS A UNIQUE QUALITY OF HER TO REMAIN BOTH EXTREMELY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S DOING AND VERY, VERY TARGETED IN HOW SHE WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS, AND YET REMAINING INCREDIBLY CHARMING AT THE SAME TIME.

AND I THINK ONE THING I REALLY TOOK AWAY FROM HER IS HOW SHE ALWAYS PUTS EVERYONE FIRST.

RECENTLY YOU MAY KNOW SHE WAS OUT ON MEDICAL FURLOUGH, THEN SHE HAD TO RETURN UNEXPECTEDLY TO PRISON.

AND SHE USED THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CRY OUT FOR JUSTICE ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE.

THAT'S WHAT SHE'S DONE THROUGHOUT.

I THINK ALSO, AS A MOTHER MYSELF, I FOUND HER REMARKABLY -- THE ABILITY TO BALANCE HER PERSONAL LIFE AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE AND HER POLITICAL LIFE, HER ACTIVIST LIFE.

YOU KNOW, AND JUST MAKE IT ALL WORK IN SOME WAY.

IT WAS PRETTY REMARKABLE.