Director: Soheil Beiraghi
Cast: Leila Hatami, Amir Jadidi, Behnoosh Bakhtiari, Alireza Ostadi, Ali Mansour
Man is a 2016 Iranian drama film written and directed by Soheil Beiraghi, starring Leila Hatami in a bold and unconventional role. The film examines a woman navigating a precarious double life on the margins of Tehran society, blending social realism with quiet moral tension across its 90-minute runtime.
What is Man about?
Azar is a resourceful woman who operates in the grey zones of Tehran, brokering access to forbidden goods for clients who cannot obtain them through legitimate channels. She is not a villain, not a victim — she is a pragmatist who has carved out her own terms of survival in a society that offers her few sanctioned paths. As her dealings grow more complicated, the film traces how she manages competing pressures from the people around her: family, clients, and the ever-present weight of discovery. Beiraghi resists melodrama, letting the camera sit close to Hatami's face as her character calculates her next move. The story builds through accumulation rather than confrontation, revealing a woman whose rebellion is quiet, deliberate, and entirely her own.
Cast & crew
Leila Hatami, one of Iran's most internationally recognised actresses, anchors the film with a restrained and precise performance that carries the film's emotional weight. Amir Jadidi and Behnoosh Bakhtiari appear in supporting roles, along with Alireza Ostadi and Ali Mansour. Director Soheil Beiraghi wrote the screenplay himself, maintaining consistent authorial control over the material.
Context & significance
For Iranian diaspora audiences, Man offers a portrait of Tehran that feels lived-in and specific — not the postcard skyline but the granular social texture of a city where informal economies fill the gaps left by rigid formal structures. The film was officially selected for the Certain Regard section at the 34th Fajr International Film Festival, giving it a notable place in contemporary Iranian cinema. Beiraghi's approach aligns with a generation of Iranian filmmakers interested less in spectacle and more in the daily negotiations women make to hold their lives together. Viewers who appreciate the understated realism of Iranian social cinema will find the film a rewarding, if quietly unsettling, watch.
Where & how to watch
Man is available on K-Time with original Persian audio. No VPN is needed and there is no geo-blocking — you can watch on the web, on your TV, or on your phone. Subscription is flexible with no long-term commitment; cancel anytime.