Silenced

Original title: هیس

Fiction | 2025 | Col | 13m

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Summary

Silenced is a short film that confronts the systemic abuse and exploitation of women within academic institutions. It follows the harrowing experiences of female students who are harassed, manipulated, and sexually assaulted by those in positions of authority, professors who weaponize their influence, grades, and power.

Through raw storytelling and emotional depth, the film exposes how fear, shame, and societal pressure force victims into silence. Set against the stark realities of countries like Iran and Afghanistan—where patriarchal norms demand women’s obedience and silence—Silenced gives voice to those who have long been unheard.

In these societies, a woman can be innocent and still condemned. Misogynistic standards dictate that a woman’s worth is measured by her “purity,” while men are granted unchecked freedom. This film challenges those norms and calls for justice, recognition, and lasting change.

Silenced is not just a story, it’s a call to action.

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Director: Zeynab Mousavi , Houri Shafieioun
Type: Fiction
Year of completion: 2025
Country of origin: Iran
Production: Zeynab Mousavi

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