Cinema Tehran

5 - 10 October 2027

Co-produced by Factory International and The Javaad Alipoor Company.

A legendary cult film, the Iranian revolution and social apocalypse collide in a major new theatrical work at Factory International.

In 1978, as the Iranian revolution broke out, thousands of Iranians reported seeing the face of Khomeini – the man who would soon become known as the leader of the revolution – in the moon. At the same time, some of the biggest names in Iranian cinema were just beginning to make their mark. 

Cinema Tehran is a new work by British-Iranian artist Javaad Alipoor and writer Chris Thorpe inspired by this moment of mass hallucination. Zooming forward to the present day, the show follows two artists who uncover fragments of a long-lost cult film. 

Blending performance, documentary, projections and visual tricks, Cinema Tehran is both an adaptation of this hard-boiled Tehrani noir, which has inspired generations of Iranian filmmakers, and the unbelievable story of its creation. As Iran hurtles towards revolution and war, two things emerge: the modern Middle East and the modern world of collective visions and beliefs, battling for attention and supremacy. 

Javaad Alipoor is an award-winning writer, director and performer, and the founding Artistic Director of The Javaad Alipoor Company (TJAC). His recent work includes the company’s adaptation of the Booker shortlisted Elmet and the international hit Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World, his most recent collaboration with Chris Thorpe. 

Chris Thorpe is a Manchester-based writer and performer whose work tours internationally and is regularly produced worldwide. Current projects include Talking About The Fire with China Plate, the UN and ICAN, directed by Claire O’Reilly, and Always Maybe The Last Time, a new show about the psychology of the climate crisis with FUEL, directed by Vicky Featherstone.

At a time when competing visions of reality are reshaping societies, Cinema Tehran asks why some ideas grip entire societies and what turns private hope into collective action.

Opening October 2027 at Factory International, Manchester. Tickets on sale spring 2027.