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A blurry image of a child dressed in black. She stands amongst potted plants.

My Stolen Planet

  Farahnaz Sharifi

  Germany, Iran     82 minutes

Synopsis

Born weeks after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, filmmaker Farahnaz Sharifi soon realized she was living on two different planets: the public one which was constrained by political and religious strictures, and the private one where she could fully be herself.

Discovering the power of images at an early age when she bought her first camera, Sharifi began recording her family life while also obsessively collecting decaying Super 8 reels left behind by anonymous people. In contrasting these two worlds — scenes of violent repression on the streets versus home movies showing moments of joy, dancing, and domestic freedom — Sharifi offers an intimate and timely reflection on how recorded images can be a powerful corrective to the erasure of histories and female identity. Winner of top prizes at nearly a dozen international film festivals, My Stolen Planet allows Sharifi’s own story, along with images of voiceless women from the past and present, to form a vivid and collective act of resistance.

 Farsi with subtitles

In Focus: Germany on Screen

the flag of GermanyThis film is part of the 60th Chicago International Film Festival’s In Focus: Germany on Screen collection highlighting the work of Germany’s most gifted auteur filmmakers.

Learn more about this collection

Screenings & Events

Screening

Sat, Oct 19 @ 2:30pm CDT

at Gene Siskel Film Center, screen 2

Accessibility options for this screening:
  • Assistive Listening Devices available
Learn more about accessibility options...

Screening

Thu, Oct 24 @ 3:30pm CDT

at Gene Siskel Film Center, screen 2

Accessibility options for this screening:
  • Assistive Listening Devices available
Learn more about accessibility options...

Media

Film Credits

  •   Anke Petersen, Lilian Tietjen, Farzad Pak
  •   Farahnaz Sharifi
  •   Farahnaz Sharifi
  •   Farahnaz Sharifi
  •   Farahnaz Sharifi
  •   Atena Eshtiaghi
  •   Anke Petersen
  •   JYOTI Film, PakFilm
  •   https://www.mystolenplanet.film/

Sponsors

Documentary Program Partner

Logo: WTTW (2019)

Documentary Program Patron

Cynthia Stone Raskin

With Support From

Logo: German Film Office 141x125Logo: German Films - 315x100Logo: Goethe Institut 62x100