The Uncaged Lens: Jafar Panahi's Defiant Cinema

With The Circle (2000), Panahi took a more overtly critical and political turn. The film follows the interwoven lives of several women recently released from prison as they navigate the rigid and often oppressive social strictures of contemporary Tehran. The film's critical portrayal of the restrictions placed upon women in Iran led to it being banned in his home country, despite winning the coveted Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, signaling the start of his long conflict with Iranian authorities.