Home / Arts and Entertainment / Afghan Artist's Harrowing Escape Captured in Powerful Documentary
Afghan Artist's Harrowing Escape Captured in Powerful Documentary
12 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Iranian filmmaker Mehrdad Oskouei's documentary about Afghan sculptor Soraya Akhlaghi
- Soraya has been trying for 5 years to leave Iran and join her mother in Austria
- Oskouei directed the film remotely, with Soraya filming all footage herself over 5 years
Iranian filmmaker Mehrdad Oskouei's latest documentary, "A Fox Under a Pink Moon," shines a spotlight on the gripping story of Afghan sculptor Soraya Akhlaghi. The film, which will world premiere at IDFA in the International Competition, follows Soraya's determined efforts to leave Iran and join her mother in Austria.
Soraya, a strong-willed 16-year-old artist, has been creating stunning yet dark drawings and sculptures for years. However, her life has been marked by the constant struggle to find a way out of Iran, a journey she has been pursuing for the past 5 years. Oskouei directed the film entirely remotely, with Soraya filming all the footage herself using her phone over the course of this period.
