Defying shut-down attempts by the Iranian government, Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha’s small, funny, and beautiful portrait of late-life fulfilment arrives on UK screens.

Living alone in Tehran at 70, Mahin struggles to find meaning amongst rounds of remote family calls, broken sleep, and lunches with friends, and quietly goes looking for male companionship . She finds it in cab-driving veteran Esmail, and over one night they grow closer through a series of small, precious moments of warmth and connection. Winner of two prizes at this year’s Berlin Festival despite a raid on their production offices, Moqadam and Sanaeeha (The Ballad of a White Cow) produce a gentle and empathetic look at the struggles and needs of old age, saddled with a heavy subject and oppressive regime but never without humour and a lightness of touch.