Fest of Duty• Directed by Firouzeh Khosrovani• 2014 • Iran

Growing up with very different cultural values but in the same social circle, Fest of Duty centers on the lives of Maryam and Melika, two cousins and former childhood best friends, who find themselves living very different lives as adults. Melika dreams of a career as an actress, paints her nails, and hangs out with boys, while Maryam wears hijab with conviction, prays, and fasts. This documentary begins with a scene showcasing a compulsory religious ceremony for girls who have reached the age of nine, in which they learn about the religious duties of adulthood. This simple and minimalist documentary is a vibrantly sensitive look at adulthood in Iran, where the dichotomy between religious life and anti-religious life is the nucleus of society. 
In Persian with English Subtitles