Each year, The American Museum of Natural History presents the Margaret Mead Film Festival, which presents a collection of relevant films that expose viewers to the diversity of cultures all around the world. The festival showcases films that typically illustrate challenging subjects and then subsequently hold intimate forums with filmmakers and invited speakers. This year, the film’s theme was “Past Forward.” Filmmaker Lisa Jackson posed the coinciding question, “Has culture turned into style and entertainment?”
This year was just as extraordinary as past years as it showcased exceptionally eye-opening films that brought to light topics ranging from the equality of disabled Americans to the journey of Transgendered musician, Rae Spoon.
A personal favorite film from the festival was “Sepideh—Reaching for the Stars.” The film told the story of a young female Iranian teenager named Sepideh who is unquenchably interested in astronomy. Despite her enthusiasm for the subject, Sepideh must overcome multiple barriers—such as her extremely conservative uncle and her mother’s financial struggles—before she is able to pursue her astronomical studies. Inspired by Anousheh Ansari, the first Iranian woman in space, Sepideh passionately expresses her frustrations, happiness, thoughts, and opinions in letters addressed to her hero, Albert Einstein. Throughout the film, Sepideh’s focus is tested as she grows older, and faces a marriage proposal. She must make a life-altering choice.
Unlike the typical ‘struggle and triumph’ film, “Sepideh—Reaching for the Stars” demonstrates the many hardships Sepideh experiences on her quest to studying astronomy. As a student at Barnard College, I came to appreciate not only Sepideh’s determination, but also my experience as a young woman studying a subject that I love in the United States. It’s not that being a woman in the United States is a piece of cake (as there are many challenges and societal norms that need to be addressed and readjusted.) However, life here in America for a woman allows for much more options and flexibility than it does in Iran.
As I left the film, I was inspired by Sepideh and was reminded about how lucky I am. Throughout all the late nights at Butler, all the study sessions, and all of the academic requirements that need to be met, it can be easy for Barnard students to forget how fortunate we are to attend and learn at a school that is such a treasure chest of knowledge. At Barnard College, we have the liberty to explore what we want to explore when we want to explore it and for the sake of young women like Sepideh it is important that we don’t forget the value of this freedom.