The Siren is an animated drama by French-Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi

Time: Saturday 27. April, 13.00

Place: Cinemateket i Bergen, USF

Language: Farsi

Subtitles: English

Duration: 1h 40 min

The powerful film depicts 14-year-old Omid’s struggle to escape the besieged city of Abadan in Iran following the outbreak of the Iran-Iraqi war (1980–1988).

While the young boy is playing soccer with his friends, they witness a missile attack on a nearby oil refinery. The attack by the Iraqi army throws the city into complete chaos, turning Omid’s life upside down. While his mother and siblings flee, his older brother disappears to join other fighters at the front. Omid, who stays behind, is determined to find his brother.

Along the way, he meets different people who have in common that they live on the fringes of society. It becomes clear to Omid that he must escape his hometown, and together with his new friends, he embarks on an escape attempt in an abandoned ship.

With a detailed narrative style and a touch of adventure, The Siren is a gripping tale of how people come together in a war-torn city.

About the filmmaker

Sepideh Farsi is an Iranian-born director based in Paris. Farsi has made several short films and documentaries, as well as two feature films. She has received several awards for her films, including the Grand Prix at the Festival International de Cinéma de Marseille for her latest documentary 7 Veils (2017). The Siren is her first animated film.

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