Cutting Through Rocks Press Highlights
Cutting Through Rocks Wins Grand Jury Prize, World Cinema Documentary
Indiewire:
“Majestic… A deftly shaped work of cinematic nonfiction”
Sundance Grand Jury Winner Cutting Through Rocks Acquired by Autlook Ahead of Berlinale
POV Magazine:
“One of those profound vérité documentaries that are only possible through the perseverance of the filmmakers”
Cutting Through Rocks Wins Audience Award at Visions du Reél
Variety:
Cutting Through Rocks is “uniquely propulsive [and] practically magical […] Its fly-on-the-wall quality works wonders “
01.22.2025 Thom Power’s Doc Voices Pure Nonfiction 5 Doc Picks from Sundance
“Follows Sara Shahverdi as she navigates local politics being the first elected councilwoman in her remote village. If they had only told the story of her election campaign, that would be striking enough. But in Cutting Through Rocks that’s just the first chapter with many layers left to be revealed.”
01.22.2025 Film Stage 20 Must-See Films Premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival
01.23.2025 Newsweek 9 Must-Watch Documentaries at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival
01.27.2025 ScreenDaily Review: One woman takes on the patriarchy in a small Iranian village
“Shaverdi is a remarkable woman but, rather than frame her as some kind of superhero, Khaki and Eyni wisely choose to portray her as a flawed but passionate, tough, and resilient human being – the rock-cutter of the title.”
01.28.2025 The Moveable Fest A Groundbreaking Iranian Politician Gets a Sharp Profile
01.28.2025 Filmmaker Magazine Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni on their Sundance-debuting Cutting Through Rocks
01.29.2025 Doc Voices Sundance Ones to Watch: Cinematographers
01.31.2025 Sundance Film Festival Jury Citation for World Cinema Grand Jury Prize
Jury citation: “This beautiful and nuanced portrait shows us a fearless eccentric who confronts male-dominated society when she runs for office in a remote Iranian village. Her determination, warmth, and humor and the way her story is told left us in awe.”
01.31.2025 Vulture Best Movies We’ve Seene at Sundance 2025
“Raucously entertaining and, at times, heart-stoppingly sad. I was completely riveted.”
01.23.2025 Newsweek 9 Must-Watch Documentaries at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival
02.03.2025 MovieJawn Sundance Film Festival Roundup
"Remarkable… Compelling… An immersive and eye-opening film about a woman unafraid to break barriers in a society that is slow to change.”
02.03.2025 Indiewire Sundance 2025: 11 New Films with the Best Shot at an Oscar Run
02.26.2025 HammertoNail Review: “Profoundly inspiring… delivers striking images that elevate simple moments to cinematic poetry.”
03.04.2025 Ms. Magazine Review: “A groundbreaking film on rural Iran and a woman who dared to lead”
06.30.2025 Variety Oscars 2026 Early Contenders to Watch
