Helia has become thirteen and this led her family to restrict her from cycling.
THE THIRTEENTH YEAR
(Sizdah Saleghi)
Iran 2023 / 10′
a film by
Samad Alizadeh
with
Samaneh Nourivand
Screenplay | Samad Alizadeh Bahman Ark Bahram Ark |
Director of Photography | Amir Pourhekmat |
Production Design | Milad Delasa |
Costume Design | Samad Alizadeh Mahni Mehrpour |
Editor | Ali Moslemi |
Sound | Hasan Salmani |
Producer | Navid Mohammadzadeh |
Distribution | Esen Studios |


OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
- Uppsala Short Film Festival (Sweden)
Oscar qualifying festival - Giffoni Film Festival (Italia)
Samad Alizadeh
Samad Alizadeh was born in 1995. Nahid (2020), his first short-film, has won as Best Screenplay at Tehran International film Festival, as Best Short-Film at Zanzibar International film Festival and it got a Special Mention at Freiburg International Film Festival. “The thirteenth year” is his second short-film.
Director statement :
In my country, Iran, there are some norms against women and girls in most families. Therefore in this film, I have tried to narrate this important issue which at first sight seems shallow and not much of a big deal but as a deep and magnificent crisis and cultural disaster in Iranian society which effects children’s behavior, especially a teenage girl during her puberty.
Director statement :
In my country, Iran, there are some norms against women and girls in most families. Therefore in this film, I have tried to narrate this important issue which at first sight seems shallow and not much of a big deal but as a deep and magnificent crisis and cultural disaster in Iranian society which effects children’s behavior, especially a teenage girl during her puberty.