Director: Saeed Soheili

Cast: Hamid Farrokhnezhad, Poulad Kimiayi, Saed Soheili

Gashte Ershad 1 is a 2012 Iranian comedy-drama film directed by Saeed Soheili, following three street-smart men who run an audacious con by impersonating Iran's morality police — exposing the absurdities of a system that polices public appearance.

What is Gashte Ershad 1 about?

Three cash-strapped men stumble onto a scheme that earns them quick money: they dress up and pose as officers of the Guidance Patrol, the state force known for stopping citizens over dress code violations. What begins as an opportunistic hustle quickly pulls them deeper into the social world they are imitating. Encounters with ordinary Tehranis — anxious families, defiant youth, bewildered bystanders — reveal the gap between official authority and everyday life. As the trio's ruse grows bolder, the risks multiply, and the line between performance and reality starts to blur.

Cast & crew

Director Saeed Soheili also appears on screen, blending his roles as filmmaker and performer. Hamid Farrokhnezhad, one of Iranian cinema's most recognizable character actors, brings grounded energy to the lead ensemble. Poulad Kimiayi rounds out the trio, contributing to the film's street-level, improvisational feel.

Context & significance

The Guidance Patrol — Gashte Ershad — is one of the most charged symbols of daily life under the Islamic Republic, and placing three ordinary men at its center as impostors is a bold satirical premise. For diaspora viewers who remember the anxiety of navigating dress-code enforcement in public, the film speaks directly to lived experience. Soheili leans into social comedy rather than polemic, letting the absurdity of the situation carry the critique. The film sits within a tradition of Iranian comedies that use street-level farce to say things that could not easily be said otherwise, offering both laughter and recognition for audiences inside and outside Iran.

Where & how to watch

Gashte Ershad 1 is available now on K-Time with original Persian audio. Watch on your browser, smart TV, or Android phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, and no extra download required. Cancel your subscription anytime.