Please Step Aside!
A journey into the mind of a woman recently immigrated from Tehran to Berlin, over the "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising.
Technical Information
- Original TitleZurückbleiben bitte!
- English TitlePlease Step Aside!
- Persian Titleلطفاً عقب بمانید!
- Year2024
- Runtime 12 min.
- Language Persian
- Subtitle English
- GenreExperimental Documentary
- Countries Germany, Iran
- Aspect Ratio 16:9
- Shooting Format Digital
- Color Color / Black & White
- Format DCP
- Sound 5.1, stereo
- Premiere StatusWorld Premiere at IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)
- AwardsBest Documentary International Competition Porto Femme Film Festival 2025
Synopsis
"Zurückbleiben bitte!" is a melancholic yet humorous experimental short film that delves into the chaotic mind of a woman who has recently immigrated to Berlin. A stream of consciousness unfolds following an unexpected incident in her homeland, Iran. As she navigates her new physical surroundings, her inner world is shaped by a parallel digital reality, her mobile phone buzzing with news from the ongoing "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising. Blending time and space, the film explores the relative nature of freedom and happiness. Entirely shot on a mobile phone, it is both an intimate portrait and a political reflection.
Logline
Filmmaker Raha Faridi reflects on her migration from Tehran to Berlin in an experimental stream of consciousness, contrasting her new physical surroundings with a virtual world buzzing with news of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising in Iran.
Crew Information
PRODUCTION
- Raha Films
DIRECTOR, EDITOR, CINEMATOGRAPHER
- Raha Faridi
SOUND DESIGN
- AHGH
COLORIST
- Farhad
MUSIC
- Amadeo Bonaiuto, Behrooz Moosavi
NARRATION & NARRATOR
- Raha Faridi
Director Statement
In Germany, amidst the new atmosphere, language, and climate, I navigated apartment hunting and processed the life-altering events of the past year. I had to get out of my country, as my character and my activities as an independent documentary filmmaker were not tolerated. I was raided, and a case was made against me, imprisoning me for artistic expression and free speech. So I moved to Berlin, a city of art, freedom, and diversity.
I’ve always had the tendency to push the boundaries of any setting I existed in, to expand the space, reduce the limits, fly wider and dive deeper. In this so-called land of freedom of expression, I began to question how far expression could truly go. A raw stream of consciousness became the core of the film. Words were written down as fast as they came, without time to judge or correct. Unedited, untouched thoughts made their way to paper. It was a test, to see where my limits were in this new society. To what extent can I be tolerated here? Does this world have the capacity to receive whatever passes through my mind?
The film is nude in words, no edits, no cover. The revelation continues, even if it sounded nonsense. I used only what was already on my mobile, fragments of life, small details, spontaneous recordings. My passion for capturing moments, framing the passing, dancing with events, all came together and helped narrate the atmosphere I was inhabiting.
I was clearly living three lives in parallel: My physical surroundings; all new to me and worth exploring, the drinks, the food, the places, the people, the culture. My virtual social media; constantly buzzing with news of "Woman Life Freedom" uprising - a movement resulting from decades of resilience of women like myself in Iran - and police brutality. And the world in my head; a mystery shaped by genetics, geopolotics, history, hormones, memory, and lived experience.
“Zurückbleiben bitte! ” was the first phrase I continuously heard on arrival, echoing through every train station and Bahnhof. But it wasn’t new. That message had been following me for years, in my homeland, in the diaspora, and eventually inside my own head. "Please Step Aside!", became the name of my first short film in Germany.
The film doesn't aim to bring political activism into the unconscious realm of art; it avoids slogans and any ideological or political statements. It's not trying to impress festivals or venues, nor does it exploit "Woman Life Freedom" for business in the film industry. Additionally, it doesn't rely on common elements of Iranian cinema to appeal to Western audiences. This film is simply an honest expression of all those overlapping realities, a portrait of a woman in a chaotic setting, pieced together harmoniously.
Press Coverage
IRAN INTERNATIONAL
- UK, London 17/04/2025
- on Instagram
IIFMA
- Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association
- Netherlands 18/04/2025
- by Navid Nikkhah Azad
- on Instagram
Director Biography
Raha Faridi (born 1980) is an experimental artist, filmmaker, radio producer, and storyteller. Her work spans anthropology, music, gender equality, arts and culture since 2000. For over a decade, she uncovered Iran's underground music scene at BBC-World service Radio. In 2009, she ventured across Iran, creating independent documentaries. In 2022, she began working as a freelance artist in Berlin. Her interdisciplinary work explores urban and intellectual themes with a serious yet playful manner.