The Story of Moragheb (Falling House): A Film That Won the Venice Film Festival Best Actress Award
The Iranian film Moragheb, internationally released under the English title Falling House, became one of the most talked-about Iranian films at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival in 2026. Directed and co-written by Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Gharaei, the 130-minute Persian-language drama entered the Orizzonti (Horizons) competition and attracted international attention not only for its tense story about family, control, displacement and social pressure, but also because of the circumstances surrounding its production.
At the center of the film is Laleh Marzban, who delivers the performance that ultimately brought her one of the most important international acting honors of her career.
On September 12, 2026, Marzban won the Best Actress award in the Orizzonti section at the Venice Film Festival for her performance in Moragheb (Falling House). The recognition placed the Iranian actress among the major acting winners of the 83rd Venice festival and transformed the film from an anticipated Iranian festival title into one of the most discussed Iranian films of the year.
The official Venice program lists Moragheb (Falling House) as a Persian-language production from Iran, the United States and Germany, directed by Mohsen Gharaei, with Laleh Marzban, Farhad Aslani, Rima Raminfar and Elena Khakbazan in the main cast. The film has a listed running time of 130 minutes.
But Moragheb is more than another Iranian social drama.
Its story revolves around a family living on the outskirts of Tehran whose house is threatened with demolition as part of a large redevelopment project. At the same time, the father, Rashid, a prison guard facing a professional crisis, begins to lose control of his family.
His response is deeply disturbing.
The man whose profession is to guard prisoners gradually turns his own home into a prison.
That central metaphor gives Falling House its title, its political dimension and much of its emotional force.
And as the bulldozers move closer to the family home, the conflict inside the house becomes increasingly intense.
September 13, 2026 | 9:20 pm
