The chapters provide cultural, social economic and political contexts for the films and their makers, including Daryush Mehrju´ i, Bahram Beyza´ i, Massoud Kimia´ i, Mohsen Makhmalbaf and Abbas Kiarostami as well as such relative newcomers as Majid Majidi, Abolfazl Jalili, Samira Makhmalbaf and Ja´ far Panahi. Themes explored include the attempt to found an "Islamic cinema"; censorship and the promotion of Iranian films at international festivals; political and social critique in Iranian films, questions of representations and realism and the portrayal of women and children.