TEHRAN – The Iranian documentary “Cutting Through Rocks” directed by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni is among the 15 films shortlisted in the Documentary Feature Film category of the 98th Academy Awards.

Two hundred one films were eligible in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominee, IRNA reported.

“Cutting Through Rocks” tells the story of Sara Shahverdi, the first elected councilwoman of her village, who aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara’s intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil.

A joint production of Iran, Germany, the U.S., Qatar, the Netherlands, Chile, and Canada, the 95-minute movie was the winner of the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the World Cinema Documentary Competition of the Sundance Film Festival in the U.S., and the Gryphon Award at the 55th Giffoni Film Festival in Italy earlier this year.

It recently won two awards from the 41st Warsaw Film Festival, in Poland in October. The Polish festival presented its NETPAC Award to the documentary, honoring its powerful testimony to the unbreakable perseverance of a woman standing up in an oppressive atmosphere. The Audience Award in the FREE SPIRIT section of the festival was also presented to the film.

In “Cutting Through Rocks,” the directors deliver a deeply intimate and quietly defiant portrait of resistance and resilience. Their debut feature documentary follows Sara Shahverdi as she attempts to empower young women to imagine a future of freedom, education, and autonomy.

At the heart of the film lies Shahverdi herself, a remarkable, trailblazing figure who drives a car through dusty village roads, teaches teenage girls how to ride motorbikes, and campaigns against the still-prevalent practice of child marriage. The camera, handheld and unvarnished, stays close to her, never interfering but always alert to the emotional and political weight of her daily struggles. It’s this raw, observational approach that lends the film its quiet power and cumulative tension.

Sara’s charisma and sheer willpower drive the narrative forward. As she pushes girls to stay in school, dream of careers in medicine, teaching, or engineering, and take control of their lives, her vision becomes a glimmer of hope in an otherwise suffocating social landscape. Yet her journey is far from smooth. Suspicion and resentment surround her. When allegations surface questioning her intentions with the young girls she mentors, Sara’s own identity is scrutinized and eventually attacked.

The score, used sparingly and with subtlety, enhances rather than overwhelms the emotional arc. The cinematography, rough-edged and organic, resists beautification, echoing the rawness of the terrain and the social tensions that run through it. “Cutting Through Rocks” begins with quiet observation, but builds into an emotional crescendo, culminating in a series of painful defeats and existential questions.

The film does not offer closure or easy hope, and therein lies its honesty. This is not a tale of triumphant change, but one of necessary resistance in the face of insurmountable odds. Ultimately, the documentary stands as both a testament to individual courage and a sobering wake-up call.

Nominations voting for the 98th Academy Awards will begin on January 12, 2026, and conclude on January 16, 2026. The results will be announced on January 22, 2026.

Twenty-four categories will be awarded at the 98th Oscars.  Each category has five nominees, except for Best Picture, which has 10. Best Picture nominations are determined by eligible members from all 19 Academy branches. All rounds of Oscars voting are conducted by secret online ballot, tabulated by the independent accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. 

The 98th Oscars will be held on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theater at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's premier film organization and is home to a global membership of more than 11,000 of the most accomplished film industry artists and leaders. The Academy connects global audiences – its members, the film industry, and film fans – through their shared passion for making and watching films. 

SS/SAB