Director: Reza Mirkarimi

Cast: Hossein Parastar, Hamed Rajabali, Mehran Rajabi

Zire Noore Mah (Under the Light of the Moon) is a 2001 Iranian drama film directed by Reza Mirkarimi, following a young seminary student whose stolen belongings send him into the unfamiliar streets and people of Tehran's margins, forcing a quiet reckoning with the world beyond the seminary walls.

What is Zire Noore Mah about?

Seyyed Hassan is on the verge of a milestone — completing his seminary studies and putting on clerical robes for the first time. When a small boy steals his supplies, what begins as a simple search for the culprit becomes an unexpected journey into communities that have never crossed paths with a cleric. Moving through alleys and neighborhoods far from his familiar world, Hassan encounters residents who know nothing of his vocation and whose lives operate by entirely different rhythms. Each encounter chips away at his assumptions, and by the time his search ends, his understanding of faith, society, and ordinary human dignity has been quietly but permanently reshaped.

Cast & crew

The film is directed by Reza Mirkarimi, one of Iran's most respected voices in humanist cinema, known for quiet, observational storytelling. Hossein Parastar leads as Seyyed Hassan, with Hamed Rajabali and Mehran Rajabi rounding out the ensemble. The performances carry the film's restrained emotional register with precision and authenticity.

Context & significance

Released in 2001, Zire Noore Mah arrives at a moment when Iranian cinema was drawing international attention for its precise, neorealist approach to everyday life. Mirkarimi's film belongs to that tradition — unhurried, attentive, and deeply compassionate. For diaspora audiences, the film offers a rare window into the textures of working-class Iranian neighborhoods and the quiet social distances that exist within Iranian society itself. It asks questions about class, faith, and what it means to truly see another person that resonate well beyond its specific setting.

Where & how to watch

Zire Noore Mah is available on K-Time with original Persian audio. No VPN is needed and there is no geo-blocking — watch on the web, on your TV, or on your phone. Cancel anytime.