Joonam

2023, Movie, 1h 40min

In this moving first-person documentary, a young filmmaker delves into her mother and grandmother’s complicated pasts and her own fractured Iranian identity. Having grown up in rural Vermont, far removed from the homeland of her mother, Mitra, and grandmother, Behjat, Sierra Urich knew of Iran only through family stories, food, and holidays. Seeking to make sense of her heritage, she turns to Mitra and Behjat to construct a probing and sometimes disarmingly funny history of three generations of women and their complex relationship to an Iran of the past. Interrogating family history and memory, including her grandmother’s experiences as a preteen bride and her mother’s rebellious teenage years during the Iranian Revolution, Urich crafts a rich, personal family portrait that poignantly reflects the diasporic experience.

Country: United States

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Ratings

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7.5

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7.0

Reviews

Critic Jacob Oller

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Family friction charms in Joonam's Meandering multi-generation quest for Iranian identity.

Read full review at Paste Magazine

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Frequently asked questions

What is Joonam about? Toggle content

In "Joonam," a young filmmaker embarks on a personal journey to uncover the hidden truths of her family's past and reconcile her fractured Iranian identity. Spurred by a provocative family memory and a lifetime of separation from the country her mother left behind, she delves into the complicated histories of her mother and grandmother, revealing a rich tapestry of love, loss, and resilience. Through intimate interviews and archival footage, the film weaves together a powerful narrative of identity, belonging, and the immigrant experience.

Where can I stream Joonam? Toggle content

You can stream Joonam on: The Criterion Channel

What movies are similar to Joonam? Toggle content

Some movies that have similar genres and were produced around the same time as Joonam include Loïc, living with undetectable HIV, The Alabama Solution, Tell Me Who I Am, One Second at a Time, The Truth vs. Alex Jones, I'm An Electric Lampshade.

When was Joonam released in theaters? Toggle content

Joonam was released in theaters on December 1, 2023.

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