XPOSED QUEER FESTIVAL: THE CROWD

Raman wants to leave Iran, so his friends and acquaintances, a network of millennials, plan a party for his departure. The venue is given; the warehouse that Hamed and his siblings have inherited. The day goes by and the grief over a friend is present in the group, as they are hands-on with the organizational hustle for the coming event.
But in the midst of the preparations for the night, more complications follow, a conflict with Hamed’s brother Mahmood seems to be the end of the party. Their relationships, weaknesses and strengths as a group come to the surface, as they band together to reach their common goal.
And indeed, as this film proposes, it does take a village to create space and to make things happen - the moments of connection are spotlighted by the dynamic and intimate cinematic language of director Sahand Kabiri, infusing this story with moments of warmth in the face of harshness. The Crowd insists on the potential of community as an act, in the face of despair, grief and restrictions.
(text by Kareem Jamaal Baholzer)