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Outlawed by their love, Leila, Sahand and their son flee Iran, where the couple committed the crime of having a secret affair while being married to other people. 

Synopsis

Film description: An intimately filmed, epic love story introduces Leila and Sahand at the start of a turbulent five-year period beginning with their escape from Iran where, while married to other people, they fell in love. Since adultery is punishable by death, and divorce forbidden, they run for their lives and start over again as a family in Turkey with their young son, Mani, who doesn’t yet know that Sahand is his biological father. Suddenly living together in a strange new land, battling tightening asylum laws to find security after years in limbo, they are learning more about each other in the toughest of circumstances and facing hurdles that test the strength of their relationship.

Stay tuned following the screening for a special message from film director, Eva Mulvad, which will be streamed on the Hot Docs platform.

“Love Child shows how people can be persecuted, not for overtly political or religious beliefs or because of war, but simply for wanting a family life.”

- Bill Frelick, Director, Refugee Rights Division, Human Rights Watch

To learn more on this topic visit HRW.org

Credits

Eva Mulvad

Director

In 2011 Eva Mulvad (born 1972) won the prestigious, Danish ”Roos Award” granted for her entire body of work. Mulvad graduated from the Danish Film School in 2001 and by 2006 she had her international breakthrough with Enemies of Happiness, which focused onthe female politician Malalai Joya’s political campaign ahead of the first democratic elections in Afghanistan 2005. The film won the Silver Wolf Award at IDFA and subsequently the World Cinema Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. With her intrinsic flair for drama and with many international awards in the baggage, Mulvad is one of the most prominent Danish filmmakers. Most recently she directed the film A Modern Man, The film is about the internationally renowned violinist Charlie Siem, who, other than playing divinely, also works as a model for mayor fashion agencies. It is a portrait of a man, who in principal, has it all, and it gives us a rare insight of a privileged life, where perfection is pursued in all aspects of life