Gracefully / Khoraman

• Year2019
• Duration62 min

"I’ve been wishing to dance on the stage for 30-40 years. But everywhere is a stage for the one who wants to dance."

Gracefully offers a tender and moving portrait of an 80-year-old drag queen who in his youth was known for traditional dancing at local ceremonies and celebrations dressed in ornate women’s clothing, and now works as a farmer. Since the 1979 Revolution, dancing publicly is forbidden in Iran, and cross-dressing considered particularly sinful. Throughout the film, our un-named protagonist finds discreet opportunities in which to dance: to express his art, in pursuit of happiness, and as an act of resistance.