FROM IRAN, EXAM
Taught, Suspenceful Events Torment A Girl
Exam is a short film by Iranian writer/director Sonia K. Hadad. The narrative focuses on a teen named Sadaf who must deliver drugs before she heads to school. When she can’t complete the cocaine exchange, Sadaf continues to school. Upon her arrival, the real trouble begins.
This 15-minute dramatic thriller has an illegal drug parcel at its center. But, the film isn’t about drug use. It is about how illegal drugs are treated, especially in a controlling and strict society like Iran.
At school, there is a check that illustrates the stress that Sadaf endures. To save herself, Sadaf takes desperate, drastic action to survive.
First seen at Toronto International Film Festival, Exam has won 35 awards, including the Grand Jury Award for The Best Live Action Short at The American Film Institute. It also won the Special Jury Award for Acting at Sundance and has screened at more than 120 Festivals worldwide. The producer is Pouria Heidary, and the production company is Three Gardens Film. The drug-dealing aspect of Exam infuses this film with enough anxiety to keep you on the edge of your seat. PROVOKR believes this short is well worth your time and will have you looking for future Sonia K. Hadad projects.
