A Life-or-Death Decision Among Friends, in Hamster [Video]

Fatima Nofely’s short film begins with a group of young people, relaxed and raucous, enjoying a night together. It’s a small group, just a handful of friends, but the atmosphere is that of a party: string lights, a campfire, plenty of singing and jokes. The next morning, two of the partygoers, Mahi and Pouya, are making breakfast and reviewing the night’s events when they realize that there’s been a terrible accident. They’re faced with a choice: call first responders or leave the scene and avoid being connected to the incident. Their dilemma is further complicated by the fact that the friends are Iranian, and the young women involved could face severe consequences if it were found that they were at the party without their families’ permission. The film highlights the tension of young people straddling a cultural divide: embracing elements of a secular life style while still being steered by …