Eye For An Eye (2025) Tribeca 2025

Tahereh is a mother of three in Iran who repeatedly asked for divorce in order to get out of an abusive marriage. When it wasn't granted she killed her husband and was sent to prison for 14 years. When she was released she is left to her in-laws to decide her fate, execution or the payment of blood money.

The choice of blood money or death comes from a tale of the Prophet who told a greiving man that he had the right to kill the accused because of eye for an eye, however that they should take the blood money lest they be the same as the killer. It has become something much more complicated in modern day.

This is not going to be what you expect. The story is not as simple as stated above. Additionally the film shows the whole process of negotiating and then attempting to pay the blood money.  There is a great deal here and you have to belt in and take the ride.

If you've been watching films from Iran over the last few years you will notice that there have been a couple of films that have covered the subject. While those films were narrative, this is the first documentary that I've run across on the subject.  It puts things into a different light and makes clear what the stakes are on both sides. (And interesting exchange reveals that many people who go for execution later regret the choice). It's a solid telling of the tale that leaves you troubled by the process.

Worth a look.