Hush! Girls Don’t Scream

Shirin is the central figure, a woman who remains quiet at first but grows resolute as her past and present collide. Her decision to act against the janitor stems from a fierce protective impulse toward a neighbor's daughter and from a lifetime of fear shaped by her caretakers. As she tells her story in court, layers of loyalty, love, and vulnerability emerge. Her courage under pressure exposes the complexity of justice and personal safety.

Morad is the former caretaker who abused Shirin as a child and is later implicated in dozens of abuses against other girls. He initially denies the accusations but ultimately confesses after confronting overwhelming evidence. His role highlights a cycle of harm that compounds the protagonist's trauma. The court sentences him to death, underscoring the gravity of his crimes.

Merila is the famous, skilled lawyer hired by Shirin's parents who manages to elicit the first words from Shirin in detention. She crafts a cautious legal strategy to uncover motive and to present Shirin's truth to the court. Her advocacy reveals the tension between protecting reputation and seeking justice.

Nima is Shirin's fiancé who initially faces social pressure to forget her but ultimately agrees to help. He visits Shirin, learns her motive, and helps pursue a path to diyya, representing a modern, supportive partner navigating a tradition-bound system.

Maede is Shirin's mother who reveals that Shirin chose her eventual partner and that she and Shirin's father have actively sought to support her. She helps reveal hidden family dynamics and the context of Shirin's life.

Hadi is Shirin's father, a figure of tradition who participates in the family’s efforts to navigate the case. He embodies the tension between protective love and social expectations in a conservative cultural setting.

Prosecutor who drives the case forward, pressing for a verdict and shaping the narrative through his questioning. He represents the institutional authority of the state and its pursuit of a legally definitive outcome.

Lieutenant is part of the courtroom/ law enforcement apparatus; he participates in the investigation and supports the state's case.

Asal is the neighbor’s daughter who was abused; Her abuse forms the core of Shirin's motive to intervene. The court attempts to reach her family for testimony, but the family refuses to testify to protect their reputation.