In october 2022 @1stave.ba / @1stavemachine –received and email from an Iranian citizen asking for support and visibility in their attempt to fight the regime. 

Our main goal was to amplify the voice of this Iranian citizen, so we decided to use the email (with previous authorization) as the script. The videos are a compilation of footage found on social media channels showing what was going on accentuating the force of the fight and the bravery of Iranian citizens.

We chose the symbol of a water lily moving forward on the river as a symbol of hope and change.

The song that accompanies the piece is an instrumental version of the song called “Baraye,” written by the 20-year-old Shervin Hajipour, which has become an anthem for the protests in Iran. In the end, we can see the uncut footage of schoolgirls singing the full song with their hair totally exposed.