Setareh Pesyani

Setareh Pesyani’s film credits read like a highlight reel for modern Iranian cinema, honestly. She’s not just some random face you spot once and forget—nope, her roles stick with you. In “Yadoo” (2021), she dives into a setting caught between war and family, and there’s this rawness to her performance that’s kinda hard to shake off. The movie’s all about survival in the chaos of war, but it doesn’t hammer you with melodrama. Instead, Pesyani gives her character this subtle strength, like she’s quietly holding everything together while things fall apart around her. Then there’s “Sorkhpoost” (2019), a total curveball. The story’s set in a prison about to be shut down, and she gets tangled up in this web of secrets and old wounds. There’s this gritty tension in every scene, like everyone’s walking on a tightrope, and Pesyani just slips right into that anxiety. You can see this edge in her eyes—she brings out that feeling of being trapped, but not broken. And don’t even get me started on “Man Mitarsam” (2020). The whole thing is about fear, but not in that cheap jump-scare way. It’s more about the stuff that eats at you from the inside. Pesyani delivers this performance where you’re not sure if her character’s going to fall apart or snap back, and you’re just sort of holding your breath the whole time. Bottom line—she’s got range, she’s got guts, and she’s definitely not phoning it in.