This short film tells the story of a gay couple in Iran, from how they meet, how they love, how they get captured, imprisoned and executed for being homosexual.

"Aban and Khorshid" is so profoundly touching, that it got me physically sick with nausea within just a few minutes. Then the tears and the chest tightness follows. It is short, but very focused and effective. It affects people, and that effect lingers on for a long time.

Do spend fifteen minutes to watch "Aban and Khorshid", and be touched. Be reminded how great it is to be able to be yourself. It is freely available on the internet.

Persian-language (primarily Iranian) cinema is acclaimed for poetic allegory, moral depth, and inventive ways of navigating censorship. It often uses non-professional actors, minimalism and symbolism to explore moral dilemmas, social issues, and the human condition under political constraints.

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The prison drama subgenre features the lives of inmates, prison staff, and the dynamics within correctional facilities. These dramas often explore themes of confinement, survival, redemption, human nature, and the impact of incarceration on individuals and society.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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The romance genre features the theme of romantic relationships and emotional connections between characters. These stories focus on the development of love, desire, and intimacy between protagonists, often exploring the challenges, conflicts, and triumphs that arise in their relationships.

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The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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Inspired by true events, Aban and Khorshid is an intimate portrait of two lovers, glimpsing into the world in which they met, moments before their execution for being gay.

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Aban and Khorshid

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