The Music Video

On September 16th, 2022; Mahsa Amini (a 22 year-old girl in Iran) was arrested and brutally beaten to death by Iran's Morality Police for her bangs showing from under her headscarf. It incited an outbreak of protests across the entire nation in the name of Woman, Life, and Freedom that has turned into nationwide revolution against the Islamic Republic. Arrested and killed en masse for showing hair, dancing in public, speaking out against the regime, and more; most of the protestors and political prisoners have been the brightest minds coming from Iranian students in universities and high schools.

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Our Iranian classroom was filmed in Los Angeles. Our Iranian prison was filmed in Los Angeles & Türkiye, and our narration (outside the brick classroom walls) came from a rapper and diverse dance crew in New York. Shahrooz, the team and I produced and directed shoots in 2 different countries and 3 different cities thousands of miles apart while remaining in Los Angeles. For an independently funded production, this was a huge undertaking, but never in my career have I worked with a team as passionate about and dedicated to the vision than on this production. With so many moving parts so far from our complete control, I’m blessed to have collaborated with this team to maneuver through such a complex and dynamic project (with so many surprises!) while honoring such a powerful message.

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Praying for peace, freedom, and dignity for all. May we never take our privilege to speak out for granted and may we always continue to use art to reach the soul of humankind, when they turn a blind eye to those in need.