Filmmaker Statement

I made Unibrow for the little girl that used to fake stomach aches so that she wouldn't have to go to school and be ridiculed for looking different. The initial versions of the script reflected my own limited understanding of the nuance and importance of eyebrows in Iranian culture, but in conversations with other Iranian women, I began to understand the importance of eyebrows in Iranian history and culture and felt like a puzzle piece had suddenly fallen into place. I don’t take much joy in saying that Leyla’s happiness at the end is unique and is not a narrative that we often see associated with Irani women and girls depicted on screens in Western media. However, I think it is very important that it is not just the stories of trauma and heartbreak that are being circulated and representing a group of people. And I am proud of my film for showcasing that.