Ava

A gripping debut about a young girl's coming-of-age in a strict, traditional society. Living with her well-to-do parents in Tehran, Ava is a bright and focused teen whose concerns -- friendships, music, social status, academic performance -- resemble that of nearly any teenager.

When Ava's mistrustful and overprotective mother questions her relationship with a boy -- going so far as to visit a gynecologist -- Ava is overwhelmed by a newfound rage. Formerly a model student, Ava begins to rebel against the strictures imposed by her parents, her school, and the society at large.

Winner of Best Canadian First Feature Film and a FIPRESCI Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival.

"Critic's Pick! "Exquisitely photographed... visually inventive... [a] remarkably controlled intensity... Ava looks repression in the eye and doesn't flinch." -- Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times