TEHRAN – The feature documentary “Cutting Through Rocks” directed by Iranian filmmakers Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, a coproduction of Iran, Germany, the U.S., Qatar, the Netherlands, Chile, and Canada, has been nominated for the 98th Academy Awards.

This is the first time in the history of Iranian cinema that an Iranian feature documentary film has been nominated for an Oscar, Donyaye Tassvir Online reported.

In the Best Documentary Feature race, “Cutting Through Rocks” will go up against “The Perfect Neighbor” by Geeta Gandbhir, “The Alabama Solution” by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, “Come See Me in the Good Light” by Ryan White, and “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” by David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin.

“Cutting Through Rocks,” winner of the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema Documentary at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, earned a nomination despite lacking U.S. distribution. Filmmaking couple Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni earned the first Oscar nominations of their careers. 

“It’s a very complex situation. Many different emotions we’re experiencing,” Eyni said. “On the one hand, we are incredibly honored and excited and filled with joy with this recognition because this is the very first documentary feature that’s ever been nominated from Iran. This is really a huge milestone, and it’s amazing. But on the other hand, given all that is happening at home [in Iran], we feel all kinds of emotions right now. We would love to dedicate this recognition to the people of our home country because we feel for them. We are with them every second.”

The recent unrest in the country, which started with protests over currency market volatility among Iran’s bazaaris, was exploited by the U.S. and Israel and, supported by the foreign regimes, devolved into systemic urban terrorism in an effort to overthrow the Islamic Republic.

Two hundred one films were eligible in the Documentary Feature Film. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the nominees.

“Cutting Through Rocks” tells the story of Sara Shahverdi, the first elected councilwoman of her village, who aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara’s intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil.

In “Cutting Through Rocks,” the directors deliver a deeply intimate and quietly defiant portrait of resistance and resilience. Their debut feature documentary follows Sara Shahverdi as she attempts to empower young women to imagine a future of freedom, education, and autonomy.

At the heart of the film lies Shahverdi herself, a remarkable, trailblazing figure who drives a car through dusty village roads, teaches teenage girls how to ride motorbikes, and campaigns against the still-prevalent practice of child marriage. The camera, handheld and unvarnished, stays close to her, never interfering but always alert to the emotional and political weight of her daily struggles. It’s this raw, observational approach that lends the film its quiet power and cumulative tension.

Sara’s charisma and sheer willpower drive the narrative forward. As she pushes girls to stay in school, dream of careers in medicine, teaching, or engineering, and take control of their lives, her vision becomes a glimmer of hope in an otherwise suffocating social landscape. Yet her journey is far from smooth. Suspicion and resentment surround her. When allegations surface questioning her intentions with the young girls she mentors, Sara’s own identity is scrutinized and eventually attacked.

The score, used sparingly and with subtlety, enhances rather than overwhelms the emotional arc. The cinematography, rough-edged and organic, resists beautification, echoing the rawness of the terrain and the social tensions that run through it. “Cutting Through Rocks” begins with quiet observation, but builds into an emotional crescendo, culminating in a series of painful defeats and existential questions.

The film does not offer closure or easy hope, and therein lies its honesty. This is not a tale of triumphant change, but one of necessary resistance in the face of insurmountable odds. Ultimately, the documentary stands as both a testament to individual courage and a sobering wake-up call.

The 98th Oscars will be held on March 15, at the Dolby Theater at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

SS/SAB