For this year’s International Women’s Day, CDoc presents “Cutting Through Rocks”, a rousing Iranian documentary about courage and conviction that follows a fearless eccentric, Sara Shahverdi.

Sara is the first elected councilwoman in her Iranian village, and, what’s more, the only woman in the area who rides a motorbike. She wants to teach other women to ride too, as well as increase their property ownership and help to end child marriage – but her determination is met with considerable resistance from the men in her community. Co-directors Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni deliver a powerful debut feature that is both eye-opening and deeply moving. Featuring some of the most unforgettable scenes in documentary this year, the film not only tells Sharverdi’s story – a divorcee and without children, an anomaly in her region – but also showcases her vision for a better future for the next generation.

We are thrilled to welcome the incredible Gelareh Pour to a conversation panel after the screening. Gelareh is an Iranian-Australian musician and producer whose musical practice is grounded in Persian traditions and shaped by contemporary experimental contexts. A leading performer of the Kamancheh, singer and composer, she draws on deep cultural lineage while engaging with new and evolving forms of expression.

The New York Times made this film a Critic’s Pick, calling it “a film that pulses with so much hopefulness.” It’s nominated for the 2026 Oscars Documentary Feature, and winner of the Grand Jury Prize for World Documentary Cinema at Sundance 2025, this is a rare and moving work that invites us to reflect on power, autonomy and what it means to insist on dignity, for yourself and for others.