Offside

Set during the Iran–Bahrain World Cup qualifying campaign of 2006, the film places its characters in a highly charged footballing context. Security and national pride shape the mood as spectators and authorities navigate rules about who may enter the stadium. The narrative treats a single match as a platform for social tension and small acts of defiance.

The action unfolds at Azadi Stadium in Tehran during a 2006 World Cup qualifier. The venue is crowded and supervised by soldiers performing national service who monitor a holding area for women. The stadium environment highlights the tense atmosphere around gender restrictions and the attempts of women to access the match.

♀️ Gender barriers

A girl disguises herself as a boy to attend the match, exposing the strict gender divide that governs public spaces. The film explores how gender roles constrain personal ambition and access to social rituals like football. It shows both the resilience of women resisting barriers and the costs they incur.

🇮🇷 Nationalism

The match becomes a focal point for collective identity, with soldiers guarding the women and crowds chanting along with the broadcast. The narrative ties personal risk to broader national pride and the spectacle of football as a unifying, yet tightly controlled, event. It also reveals how authorities deploy sports as a demonstration of order.

🎉 Solidarity

Despite restrictions, the women and soldiers bond over the shared broadcast and the joy of the win. The bus ride and street party illustrate how communal moments of celebration can overcome barriers. The ending registers a quiet, personal victory for the main girl, who seeks memory rather than spectacle.