(Scenes 01 and 02)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a birthday party in an apartment in Tehran, Iran. Sarah is turning 23. About 20 people are there. Everyone is gathering around the table for the birthday-girl to blow out the candles. Sarah stands by the table with her boyfriend, Pedram. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
People start the countdown. Pedram\u2019s phone rings; it says \u201cSam<\/strong>.\u201d He anxiously silences the phone. Sarah rubs his back to get his attention. Pedram looks at her and joins the countdown: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1\u2014Happy Birthday! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sarah blows out the candles. They kiss, and Pedram says, \u201cI\u2019ll be back<\/strong>.\u201d He starts walking toward the balcony and calls Sam back. He says greetings and then says, \u201cHang on a minute, Sam<\/strong>,\u201d and calls out to a friend: \u201cAmir, turn down the music. I don\u2019t want trouble, OK? Not tonight.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A girl says, \u201cWhat trouble, Pedram? They don\u2019t care about these things anymore. We are past that!\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pedram: \u201cOh, yeah\u2026 you think just because you don\u2019t supposedly have to cover your hair with a scarf, you are free all of a sudden? Don\u2019t be naive, OK? Don\u2019t fall into their traps\u2026 They may act like they don\u2019t care as it is close to their Revolution Day and they want people to come to the streets for them\u2026\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Girl: \u201cOh my god, can you just not make everything political?<\/strong>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pedram: \u201cEverything is political, silly!<\/strong>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pedram goes onto the balcony and continues his talk on the phone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pedram: \u201cHey, Sam, what about the dumpsters? setting them on fire is always the initiative ! great ! <\/strong>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n He laughs a little. <\/p>\n\n\n\n -\u201cYeah\u2026 they will do worse tomorrow.<\/strong>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI just hope they don\u2019t get gunfire permits!\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, I haven\u2019t checked\u2026 let me see.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n He checks something on his phone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He continues: \u201cSam, when will you get here?\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, we will go, absolutely\u2026 I don\u2019t care\u2026\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf I rise, you will rise, and then all will rise!\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeahhhh. I cannot believe that almost everyone from the group is coming! It\u2019s amazing, man! This is what we need, man. I\u2019m tellin\u2019 ya\u2026 unity, baby!\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, I mean, Ali couldn\u2019t\u2026 yeah, I know\u2026 his father\u2026 I mean\u2026 he has every right not to\u2026 but we cannot push anyone\u2026 It is their decision to make!\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStill, this is impressive\u2026\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAwesome, man\u2026 see you soon\u2026\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pedram looks out over the city from the balcony. He has a smile on his face. He almost has tears in his eyes; he\u2019s so thrilled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next day. Gandi Avenue, second day of the protests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So many people are on the street, thousands. They have stopped walking, after hearing the police car sirens, hesitating. There\u2019s a police van blocking the end of the street. Police forces and army soldiers get out of the van, armed. They form a line and start approaching the crowd. People move back a little and say things to one another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One person shouts, \u201cThey are ten<\/strong>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another one says, \u201cAnother car is coming; they\u2019ll be 15<\/strong>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another person says, \u201cThey are adding up<\/strong>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pedram and his friends are on the right side of the crowd. Pedram signals to his friends, and they lift him up and put him on their shoulders so that he can see better. He comes down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He shouts, \u201cThey are almost 20<\/strong>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another person shouts louder, \u201cThey are 20<\/strong>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pedram shouts the loudest, \u201cThey are 20, but we are 200<\/strong>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n A man from the front line of the crowd shouts, \u201cYeahhhh!\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Other people join in and shout \u201cYeah<\/strong>,\u201d and a large majority starts running toward the policemen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pedram and his friends are getting ready to set off as well. One of Pedram\u2019s friends, Behnam<\/strong>, has been looking at him the whole time. He is nervous. Everyone is running forward now but Behnam is left behind. He is frozen in place. Suddenly a man hits him while passing by. It is as if he is awakened from sleep. He looks around. People are running toward the police; gunshots can be heard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Behnam runs toward a corner. His hands are shaking; he\u2019s sweating and breathing heavily. He starts making a phone call; it says \u201cMom<\/strong>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n We hear both sides\u2019 voices. He tries to sound calm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Behnam: \u201cHi, Mom.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mom: \u201cHi, darling. Where are you?\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Behnam: \u201cWe\u2019re on the street.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mom: \u201cOh, are they shooting?\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Behnam: \u201cOf course they are shooting. Did you think that they wouldn\u2019t?\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mom: \u201cBehnam, be careful\u2026\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Behnam\u2019s ears are filled with the sound of screams and gunshots, and it looks foggy around him because of the dust from people running and the chaos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Behnam is transformed by the events, \u201cMom, listen\u2026 Mom\u2026\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mom: \u201cYes.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Behnam: \u201cMom\u2026\u201d <\/strong>(he then shouts a slogan): <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGunshots, machine guns\u2014they no longer fear me! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Take the message to my mom\u2014she no longer has me!\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mom starts shouting, \u201cNo, Behnam, no! I beg of you, for God\u2019s sake!\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Behnam puts his phone in his pocket. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We see the other side. Mom\u2019s phone is beeping after he hangs up. We hear the sound of Mom collapsing on the floor. Her phone lies on the ground. A picture of Behnam with his mother when he was a child is her phone\u2019s background. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Behnam joins the crowd. On the pavement, he sees a soldier kicking a woman\u2019s face with his boots. Behnam runs toward him. He shouts and pushes him against the wall. The soldier falls over. The woman\u2019s friend comes and helps her get up and escape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Behnam sits on the soldier\u2019s chest and starts punching him. A gunshot is heard. Behnam collapses onto the ground. He is shot in the head.The smoke from the gunshot rises higher and higher. We see Behnam on the street from above, as if his soul has left his body and risen to the skies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The end <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" (Scenes 01 and 02) There\u2019s a birthday party in an apartment in Tehran, Iran. Sarah is turning 23. About 20 people are there. Everyone is gathering around the table for the birthday-girl to blow out the candles. Sarah stands by the table with her boyfriend, Pedram. People start the countdown. Pedram\u2019s phone rings; it says […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":26484,"template":"","categories":[70,40],"class_list":["post-26401","stsp_text","type-stsp_text","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-issue-35","category-theaterstueck"],"yoast_head":"\n