Doc Talk Podcast: Director Pegah Ahangarani On Her Oscar-Contending ‘Rehearsals For A Revolution’ And Trump’s Fateful Attack On Iran

Filmmaker Pegah Ahangarani’s documentary *Rehearsals for a Revolution* traces the hopes and repression surrounding Iran’s 1979 revolution through her family’s experiences. The film aims to remember people erased from the country’s history and has gained international recognition, including selection as the UK’s submission for the 2027 International Feature Film Oscar race.

A photograph with a scratched-out face led Ahangarani to learn that her father’s friend had been executed as a political prisoner. The documentary follows her father, who initially supported the revolution, her uncle and others as the theocratic regime tightened control; it took three years of intensive editing to reach its final form. In a podcast interview, Ahangarani also criticises President Trump’s decision to join Israel in attacking Iran, calling it counterproductive and “stupid”.