In the cinematic landscape, stories about identity, family, and cultural duality have been told before—but rarely with the depth and nuance that Maryam Keshavarz’s The Persian Version brings to the table. Actress Niousha Noor, who plays the mother at the heart of this story, sat down with me to talk about her experience bringing this emotionally complex character to life.
“When I first read the script, I just remember thinking, This movie has to be made,” Noor tells me. “As an Iranian-American actress, we don’t get a lot of stories like this, especially ones that center our experiences in such a rich, nuanced way.”
The film, which balances humor, heartache, and cultural tension, follows a young Iranian-American woman navigating her own identity, sexuality, and an unexpected pregnancy—all while reckoning with her mother’s past. But as Noor points out, it’s not just about generational conflict: The Persian Version goes deeper.
“Yes, there’s a culture clash, but this movie doesn’t stop there. It’s about the personal, about the parts of our parents’ lives we don’t fully understand until later.” Noor’s character, Shireen, is introduced as strong-willed and tough, a mother whose resilience masks a lifetime of personal struggles. “She has this incredible work ethic and determination, but she’s also carrying so much. It’s only at the end of the film that she fully confronts everything she’s buried inside.”
A key moment in that revelation comes through the film’s use of music, which serves as a cultural bridge between generations. “Music is such a huge part of identity,” Noor explains. “There’s this moment in the film with a Cindy Lauper tape, and it made me laugh because when I was growing up in Iran, I was doing the same thing—but with a Michael Jackson poster, sneaking it under my arm through the airport.”
She adds that The Persian Version’s soundtrack—curated by Rostam Batmanglij—perfectly reflects the duality of the characters. “You’ve got traditional Persian songs alongside indie rock like Hamilton Leithauser’s ‘A 1000 Times.’ It captures that feeling of living between two worlds.”
Beyond music, Noor’s own contributions extended to the film’s choreography—she even created the wedding dance sequence. “It was a last-minute idea, and I taught everyone the routine in a few hours. It ended up being this beautiful full-circle moment because we used a song I danced to as a little girl in Iran.”
As we wrap up, Noor reflects on how audiences have responded to the film. “People from all backgrounds have come up to me saying, This is my mother’s story. This is my story. And that’s the power of film—it reminds us how universal our experiences really are.”
With its mix of humor, music, and deeply personal storytelling, The Persian Version is already shaping up to be one of the year’s most talked-about films. And for Noor, it’s a role that will resonate far beyond the screen.
Watch the interview above and then check out the trailer below.
