خرانق, Iran
An ancient aqueduct bridge spanning the Kharanaq valley, at the foot of the old ruined city.
The scene : 3 min — At the beginning of the film, after crossing the city, Iman drives down into the valley at night and stops at the foot of an old bridge, whose silhouette looms over the dimly lit frame.
خرانق, Iran
Ancient ruined city of the village of Kharanaq, in the Yazd province, nicknamed the "City of the Sun" and dating back to the Sassanian era, a witness to the pre-Islamic Zoroastrian culture of the region.
The scene : 2 hr 39 min — The entire climax unfolds in this maze of ruins: Iman tracks his wife and daughters there, dragging Najmeh across the collapsed rooftops, then little Sana aims at him and fires into the ground at his feet. The film had already passed through this setting in its opening minutes, when Iman arrives at night at the bottom of the valley.
خرانق, Iran
The scene : It is in this village sanctuary that the film opens with Iman in prayer.
تهران, Iran
The scene : A few stolen shots in the streets of Tehran punctuate the film: Najmeh driving through crowded streets and alleys, girls emerging from the tailor's shop after trying on their uniforms, and then Sana, Rezvan, and Sadaf blending into the crowd of pedestrians and cars.