Kino Lorber Acquires North American Rights to Mehrdad Oskouei and Soraya Akhlaghi’s IDFA-winning doc 'A Fox Under a Pink Moon'
“A raw fly-on-the-wall self-portrait from a young woman in a world of trouble…bursting with creative imagination and defiant optimism in the face of impossibly steep odds.”
– Stephen Dalton, The Film Verdict
“A compelling, shape-shifting blend of thriller and dark fairy tale – one that comes laced with animated sequences derived from Akhlaghi’s own dreamlike artworks.”
–Lee Marshall, Screen International
“Candid and urgent. A portrait of young womanhood restricted by cultural patriarchy
and dire social circumstance.”
– Guy Lodge, Variety
Kino Lorber has acquired North American distribution rights to Mehrdad Oskouei and Soraya Akhlaghi’s A Fox Under a Pink Moon, a powerfully expressive documentary portrait of Soraya, a gifted young Afghan artist in Iran channeling her fears, hopes, and sorrows into extraordinary works of art while working to flee her arranged marriage for Europe. A Fox Under a Pink Moon made its World Premiere in competition at IDFA, where it was awarded Best Film. The film has since screened at nearly fifty festivals around the world, winning more than thirty awards including prizes at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, Zagreb DOX, Millennium Docs Against Gravity, and Docville. Kino Lorber is planning a theatrical release later this year followed by a digital, educational, and home video release.
At just 16 years old, strong-willed Afghan sculptor and illustrator Soraya Akhlaghi has been trying for five years to find a way out of Iran and join her mother in Europe. Trapped in a marriage to a violent man, Soraya escapes the brutality and isolation of her daily life through art, putting all her worries, joys, and fears into stunning drawings and sculptures that are as beautiful as they are dark. Many of her creations feature recurring figures: a clown who never laughs, a pink moon that always watches over her, and a fox who is her loyal traveling companion. Crafted from years of Soraya’s own cell phone footage and video calls with filmmaker Mehrdad Oskouei, this subtly textured self-portrait interweaves Soraya’s illustrations with chilling scenes of her escape attempts, political news from Afghanistan, and videos where she sings, dances, or defiantly shows her bruises. A diary, a survival story, and an artistic manifesto, A Fox Under a Pink Moon is an unforgettable testament to the creative resilience of a 16-year-old girl who refuses to be reduced to her circumstances.
The deal for A Fox Under a Pink Moon was negotiated by Kino Lorber VP of Acquisitions Karoliina Dwyer and Catherine Leclef of CAT&Docs.
“By collaborating on our film with Soraya – an Afghan refugee, young woman, and artist – I sought to confront a disturbing silence: why are the personal and often painful stories of Afghan refugee women absent from the lens of mainstream documentaries? This film is an act of revitalization. Through Soraya’s eyes, her dreams, and her art. My goal was to help her bring her voice to the forefront of the world’s consciousness,” said Mehrdad Oskouei.
“I’m proud that through our film, I’ve been able to give voice to Afghan girls whose courage, creativity, and strength shine far beyond the hardships they face. Despite every limitation, they find a way to bloom—like flowers breaking through stone.” said Soraya Akhlaghi.
“We were captivated and deeply moved by the story of Soraya, a fiercely talented young artist facing unimaginable obstacles in her attempts to flee an abusive marriage and reunite with her mother in Europe. With hope, fear, and unwavering determination, Soraya brings the audience on her journey to freedom, blending footage from her phone with striking animation of her own artwork. We're so proud to partner with Mehrdad and Soraya to bring this exceptional documentary to North American audiences," said Dwyer.
A Fox Under a Pink Moon is an Oskouei Films production. The film is produced by Mehrdad Oskouei and Siavash Jamali and executive produced by Chandra Jessee and Rebecca Lichtenfeld for InMaat, Tony Tabatznik, Jenny Warburg, David Borenstein, James Costa and Trevor Burgess for Bird Street Productions, and Radovan Síbrt.