“Terrestrial Verses” by directors Alireza Khatami and Ali Asgari is told through multiple vignettes and is an absurd and at times bleakly comical portrait of Iranian society in which citizens constantly face religious, bureaucratic, and cultural codes and barriers.
Set in modern-day Tehran, we follow everyday people from all walks of life as they navigate the cultural, religious, and institutional constraints imposed on them by various social authorities, from school teachers to bureaucrats. These stirring vignettes, humorous and affecting, capture the spirit and determination of people amidst adversity, offering a nuanced portrait of a complex society.