Join VTIFF

Cutting Through Rocks (2025)

Saturday, March 7th, 2026
3:00 pm
Details
95 mins | Iran, Qatar, Chile, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, U.S. | Azerbaijani, Turkish, Persian, English w/ subtitles
Category
Screening Room @VTIFF
Film Type
Documentary
Cost
$12 general admission | $6 student | Member benefits may apply
Location
The Screening Room @VTIFF
60 Lake Street, 1st Floor
Burlington, VT

Get Tickets

Director
Mohammadreza Eyni, Sara Khaki
Sponsors
Vermont Arts Council, Lake Champlain Chocolates, John M. Bissell Foundation

A big hit at the 2025 Vermont International Film Festival and winner of the 2025 Sundance World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize, Cutting Through Rocks is a stirring portrait of courage and conviction. In a remote Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi becomes the first elected councilwoman—with bold dreams of teaching teenage girls to ride motorcycles and halting child marriages. But when accusations question her motives, Sara finds her identity under siege. With intimacy, the film follows her fierce resolve to reshape tradition and reclaim agency.