Leila’s Brothers

The story is set in modern Iran during an ongoing economic crisis driven by international sanctions. Prices are rising, wages struggle to keep pace, and debt compounds family pressure. The narrative uses the present-day backdrop to show how monetary precarity compels drastic schemes and risky maneuvers. The timeframe feels immediate and urgent, mirroring the characters' scramble for shelter and sustenance.

The action unfolds in contemporary Iran within a dense urban milieu. The family inhabits cramped domestic spaces while the city bears the weight of inflation and sanctions, shaping every choice they make. Key scenes pivot around a storefront in a soon-to-be mall and the looming threat of eviction, illustrating how ordinary places become arenas of survival. The setting reflects a larger social economy where financial pressure dictates daily life.

💸 Economic hardship

A central thread is the squeeze of inflation and debt on a large extended family. The father’s decisions and the siblings’ attempts to create economic stability reveal how ordinary people must improvise to survive. Loans, mortgages, and the pursuit of coins illuminate the precariousness of everyday life in a sanctioned economy. The setting itself becomes a character in the struggle for financial security.

👪 Family vs ambition

Leila tries to bootstrap a family business to lift everyone out of poverty, while her brothers and father tug the plan in different directions. The burden of duty weighs on Leila as she negotiates power, trust, and resentment within the household. Conflicts over control of money and space expose how familial love can coexist with manipulation and betrayal. The film examines how familial loyalty clashes with personal and collective survival.

🕵️‍♂️ Deception and truth

A pivotal ruse centers on giving an empty box to the father in a bid to expose his mortgage deception, revealing a deeper lie about hidden wealth. The revelation that the father hoards cash in a secret bank account reframes prior tensions and shifts the moral balance of the family. The deception drives a brutal turn of events at a birthday party, underscoring how truth emerges under pressure. Trust fractures as long-suppressed secrets come to light.