Documenting the endless struggles of a group of female wrestlers in a strictly patriarchal and religious society, One Thousand Women follows these young women’s journey in sport, tackling overwhelming obstacles to find their space in the exclusively masculine realm of wrestling in Iran. With a long list of limitations and restrictions imposed on them by the Iranian authorities, such as a strict Islamic dress code and a ban on wrestling with Israeli athletes, the head of the federation resigns in protest, leaving the female wrestlers alone in their quest. Directed by one of the brightest voices of Iranian documentary film, imprisoned by the Iranian regime in October 2022 during the uprisings in Iran, One Thousand Women is a powerful group portrait of some exceptionally strong women engaged in a never-ending fight for equal opportunities.

Directed by: Mojgan Ilanlou
Production Year: 2022
Country: Iran
Length: 72 minutes