In ORCA, Elham, a young divorced Iranian woman, seeks to find herself after being nearly beaten to death by her husband.
ORCA, based on the true story of Elham Asghari, the Iranian open-water swimmer, is now playing in theaters and streaming platforms everywhere.
The story explores how Asghari defied the legal and cultural limitations placed on women in Iran by making and breaking world records. In the process, she has helped bring attention to the challenges faced by Iran's female athletes who long for the opportunity to compete in all sports. To many, Elham's journey has become emblematic of the movement for women's rights in Iran.
The film by Sahar Mosayebi is the follow-up to her documentary film Platform, the story of three Iranian sisters as they compete in the world of international martial arts. Elham is played by legendary Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti, star of Academy Award©-winning Best Foreign Language Film, The Salesman.
In ORCA, Elham, a young divorced Iranian woman, seeks to find herself after being nearly beaten to death by her husband. Elham finds solace and salvation in the water, and soon makes her mark as a formidable endurance swimmer. In the fight of her life, Elham faces political, religious and personal obstacles in search of her goal: the Guinness record for swimming the longest distance with her hands tied.
Elham transcends into an icon, a symbol, of strength and transformation for a generation of young women.
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