Without Permission

Hassan Nazer's new film

Without Permission coming soon! Aberdeen Art Gallery

Watch This Space!

UK Premiere!
Glasgow Film Festival
3-4 March

Coming soon to Aberdeen!

An exiled Iranian filmmaker, denied official permission to make his film, secretly turns to children to capture the unfiltered voices of a new generation—risking everything to explore love, identity, and freedom in a society that seeks to silence them.

Cast

* Behrouz Sebt Rasoul (Director)

* Setareh Fakhaari (Assistant Director)

* Mehdi Mehri (Reza)

Without Permission Synopsis:

An exiled Iranian filmmaker returns home after being denied permission for his scripted film. Determined to capture the voices of the new generation and their unfiltered thoughts on love, identity, and freedom, he turns to children, secretly filming in hidden locations. As he navigates societal and political barriers, his journey becomes a powerful exploration of self-expression in a controlled world.

Director's statement:

As a filmmaker, my work has always been about pushing boundaries both personal and societal.

Filming in Iran, especially in these times, is an act of both courage and necessity. The country is going through immense social and political transformation, and the younger generation stands at the heart of this change. In 'Without Permission', I chose to capture their unfiltered thoughts-their dreams, struggles, and fears-through the voices of children. Working with non-actors in hidden locations, I aimed to portray the raw purity of their words, untouched by external agendas.

This is not a film that judges; it is a film that listens. It does not seek to define Iran but rather to reflect the many realities within it. By presenting these voices with honesty, I hope to create a space to think, to question, and perhaps help them find their own means of addressing these deeply rooted social issues.

But this film comes with personal risk. In making 'Without Permission', I have put at stake my right to return, my personal place in the world I left behind. Yet, I believe in the necessity of this film. Some stories demand to be told, even when telling them comes at a cost. This is my contribution, a whisper in the wind, a voice among many, hoping to be heard.

Biography:

Hassan Nazer, born on September 8, 1979, is a British writer and director of Iranian heritage, currently based in Scotland. At 19, he sought refuge in the United Kingdom, later pursuing film and media studies at Aberdeen University in 2006.

Hassan’s early feature films gained recognition in Iranian cinema, including the acclaimed We Are All Sinners. His internationally celebrated film, UTOPIA, was Afghanistan’s official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2016 Academy Awards.

His most recent work, WINNERS, was co-financed by Screen Scotland and selected as the UK’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards in 2023. The film won Best Feature Film at BAFTA Scotland 2023, along with accolades from BIFA, Raindance, and the Audience Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Beyond filmmaking, Hassan has contributed to the global film industry as a jury member at numerous film festivals, including BAFTA Scotland in 2022 and 2023.

Filmography:

Feature Films:

2025: Without Permission

80 min, Fiction / Drama, Digital 4K, Colour, United Kingdom

2022: Winners

85 min, Fiction, Digital 4K, Arri Alexa, Colour, United Kingdom

UK's official entry to the Oscar 2023

BAFTA Scotland winners Best Film 2023

BIFA Discovery Award 2022

Edinburgh film festival Audience Award 2022

Raindance Best feature film 2022

2018: The Check Post