A Fox Under a Pink Moon (Roobah va Mah soorati)

Mehrdad Oskouei

Sixteen year old Soraya is married to a violent man and determined to shape her own future. This strong-willed Afghan sculptor and illustrator has been trying for five years to find a way out of Iran and join her mother in Austria. This subtly textured self-portrait interweaves chilling scenes of her escape attempts with political news from Afghanistan and videos in which she sings and dances—or shows her bruises. Through masterful cinematography often filmed in dangerous conditions, and the protagonist’s radiant energy, this empowering collaboration between an established filmmaker and a young new artist enables her to reclaim identity.

Iran 2025, '77

DIRECTOR: Mehrdad Oskouei

SCENARIO: Mehrdad Oskouei, Amir Adibparvar

CAMERA: Soraya Akhalaghi

MONTAGE: Amir Adibparvar

MUSIC: Afshin Azizi

PRODUCERS: Mehrdad Oskouei

PRODUCTION: Oskouei Films

FESTIVALS & AWARDS:

IDFA (2025): Best Film

Mehrdad Oskouei

Mehrdad Oskouei (b. 1969, Tehran) is a celebrated Iranian independent documentary filmmaker, producer, and photographer known for his deeply humanistic and critically acclaimed work. His films often explore sensitive and challenging social issues within Iranian society, particularly focusing on marginalized
groups, youth, and women. Oskouei has directed, produced, and written over 25 documentaries and short films, many of which have been screened at prestigious international festivals, garnering over 180 awards. He gained significant recognition for his tetralogy focusing on the lives of incarcerated youth, including It's Always Late for Freedom (2007), The Last Days of Winter (2011), multi-award-winning Starless Dreams (2016), which captured the lives of teenage girls in a correctional facility, and Sunless Shadows (2019), Opening Film of IDFA, Winner of the Best Directing Award, continued this exploration, offering intimate portraits of women in a youth detention center who were imprisoned for the murder of a male family member. His achievements have been recognized globally; he is a recipient of the 2010 Prince Claus Award from the Netherlands for his commitment to accurately representing the concerns of his subjects and generating social justice. He also received the True Vision Award at the True/False Film Fest in 2016. Oskouei is a founding member of the Institute of Anthropology and Culture in Iran and serves as a film educator, actively shaping the next generation of Iranian documentary filmmakers.