Director: Kamal Tabrizi
Cast: Reza Kianian, Roya Nownahali, Esmaeil Khalaj, Ahmad Aghaloo, Houman Seyyedi
Yek Teke Nan is a 2005 Iranian drama film directed by Kamal Tabrizi, following a group of young men who push themselves to the physical and emotional limit across a grueling cross-country race, all in pursuit of a government job that promises stability and belonging.
What is Yek Teke Nan about?
A handful of young men from modest backgrounds learn that the Tehran Environmental Protection Agency is hiring — but only those who complete a demanding endurance race will qualify. What begins as a simple competition quickly becomes a trial of character: friendships are tested, old wounds surface, and each runner must decide what he is truly willing to sacrifice for a chance at a steady livelihood. The film traces their journey across unforgiving terrain, letting the landscape become a mirror for each character's inner struggle, without ever revealing who — if anyone — crosses the finish line on their own terms.
The K-Time take
Tabrizi keeps the pacing lean and the sentiment earned, grounding what could have been a simple underdog story in the specific economic pressures facing young Iranian men in the early 2000s. The ensemble cast brings authentic camaraderie and quiet desperation to a premise that is modest in scope but generous in humanity.
Cast & crew
Reza Kianian leads an ensemble that includes Roya Nownahali, Esmaeil Khalaj, Ahmad Aghaloo, Houman Seyyedi, Maryam Boubani, Payam Dehkordi, and Houman Barghnavard. Director Kamal Tabrizi is known for blending social realism with accessible storytelling, a balance on full display here across the film's hundred-minute runtime.
Context & significance
Iranian cinema in the mid-2000s produced a rich wave of socially conscious films that examined unemployment, class mobility, and the aspirations of a young urban generation. Yek Teke Nan — literally 'A Piece of Bread' — sits firmly in that tradition, using sport as a metaphor for the lengths ordinary people must go to simply earn their place. For diaspora viewers, the film resonates as a vivid time capsule of everyday Tehran life: the bureaucratic hoops, the camaraderie forged under pressure, and the quiet dignity of those who compete not for glory but for survival.
Where & how to watch
Yek Teke Nan is available on K-Time in its original Persian audio. Stream it on the web, on your TV, or on your phone — no VPN required, no geo-blocking, and no extra download needed. Cancel your subscription anytime.