As a filmmaker I have been wanting to see this movie for quite some time. As soon as I found it here on IndiePix I signed a subscription and watched it immediately. I was between hoping and quite sure that I would love this film; I certainly wanted to given the number of times I saw the trailer. And yet, I'm left a little confused and bereft. What's the story? I'm not sure.

The political climate is challenging for an outsider to understand; communists, a Shar, US and English Imperialists alongside a backdrop of aggressive foot soldiers which seem to mirror our female protagonists whose lives are so dire that two out of four of them die (and it appears willingly so) while the two left behind are left unsatisfied if not bitter for not having any dreams realised.

While I adored the surrealist beauty of certain shots and wonderful sound design, my mind was jagged by the edit/story which didn't always flow lucidly or easily. It's not surprising with two directors and three editors that the story lacks comprehensive adhesion. Nevertheless, what an absolute gem of a directorial debut of a female filmmaker who I shall now closely follow. Moreover, I look forward to discovering her prior and future works with great anticipation.

Women Without Men portrays the lives of four Iranian women during a time of political and social turmoil for their country. All at different stages in their lives, and struggling with separate emotional issues, the women are able to passionately display varying forms of opposition towards the lives they are meant to live. Whether it be marital issues, desire for a political voice, or a difficult self discovery, each of the women fight to understand what it is they truly want and can achieve during this time of their lives. At the same time, all of this is made even more difficult because of the state of their country.