Iron Island

From Iran, Iron Island focuses on a vibrant community of ethnic minority Iranians living inside an abandoned oil tanker in the Persian Gulf. The tanker--a floating town house sheltering scores of longtime and newly arrived immigrants--is ruled by the gruff but efficient Captain Nemat. When the boat begins to sink, it's the captain's responsibility to find them all new homes in the desert. As critic Godfrey Cheshire notes, the film resonates "with everything from contemporary political tensions to Iranian cinematic precedent to Persian literary traditions and mystical thought." (90 mins., 35mm)