Director: Munir Gheidi
Cast: Saber Abar, Soraya Ghasemi, Parinaz Izadyar, Tannaz Tabatabayi
Vilaieha is a 2017 Iranian drama-war film directed by Munir Gheidi, set against the backdrop of the Iran-Iraq War in 1986. It centers on the families left behind at a residential compound while their loved ones serve at the front, exploring grief, waiting, and the unspoken weight of war on women and children.
What is Vilaieha about?
At a fortified residential complex in wartime Iran, an elderly woman named Aziz arrives with her grandchildren to find comfort and kinship among other military families. The compound hums with the quiet anxiety of those who wait — for letters, for phone calls, for any word from the battlefront. When Elyas, a driver from the outside world, arrives at the gates, a ripple of unease spreads through the community. His presence suggests he may be carrying news — perhaps devastating news — about the commanders fighting in the war. As the residents brace for uncertainty, Aziz's daughter-in-law Cima eventually comes to collect the children, and the compound must again absorb the ordinary rhythms of a life suspended between hope and dread.
Cast & crew
The film is directed by Munir Gheidi. Lead actress Saber Abar portrays the matriarch Aziz with quiet authority, anchoring the film's emotional core. Soraya Ghasemi and Parinaz Izadyar bring depth to the supporting roles, while Tannaz Tabatabayi rounds out an ensemble that gives the film its lived-in texture and emotional credibility.
Context & significance
Films about the Iran-Iraq War occupy a distinct space in Persian cinema — they rarely focus on the battlefield itself but on the domestic sphere: the mothers, wives, and children who endure the war from a distance. Vilaieha belongs firmly to this tradition of "home-front" war cinema, a genre that has produced some of the most emotionally resonant films in Iranian film history. For the diaspora, these stories carry a particular weight, offering a window into the generational trauma and the sacrifices of that era that shaped families who eventually scattered across the world. The film's 90-minute runtime is compact and disciplined, letting silences and glances do the heavy lifting.
Where & how to watch
Vilaieha is available on K-Time in its original Persian audio with subtitles. Watch on your browser, smart TV, or Android device — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, no extra download required. Start a subscription and cancel anytime.