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Review

Set in contemporary Tehran, Circumstance tells the tale of two beautiful 16-year-olds; Atafeh, the privileged daughter of an educated, well-to-do family, and her new friend Shireen. Together they dare to dream and discover freedoms that their parents never had.

Rebellious, beautiful and smart, they have learned to navigate a youthful vibrant maze of underground parties, clubs and drinking dens – places where women can remove their head coverings, expose their skin and be free from the suffocating pressure of arranged marriages and tea with relatives. Defying the morality police who treat women like second-class citizens is exhilarating. Even more politically dangerous is the boundary that Atafeh and Shireen have crossed in their friendship.

When Atafeh’s brother, Mehran, returns home with newly fundamentalist views, the once-liberal haven of the family home is transformed into a scary place where secrets can no longer be contained.

 -- Carol Coombes