An Iranian motorcycle-loving trailblazer becomes a remote village’s first female councilwoman. Sara Shahverdi challenges patriarchal norms, teaches girls to ride, and fights against child marriage. CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Documentary Competition at the Sundance Film Festival and was shortlisted for the Academy Awards.

"The film grants hope for the women of Iran through its thick-skinned subject, putting her resume and grit on display." (RogerEbert.com)

"Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, who directed and edited the documentary, with Eyni also serving as cinematographer, have made a film that pulses with so much hopefulness that when Shahverdi’s story takes a shocking turn, it’s a punch to the solar plexus. But Shahverdi, facing the possibility of unsepakable consequences for her unconventional ways, doesn't cave to despair. Her steeliness and strength are magnificent, but it's her equanimity that delivers the film's most powerful jolt." (New York Times)

Thursday, February 5
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS (Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, 2025 / 95 mins / NR) As the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara's intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil.