Roya
A politically imprisoned teacher confronts the unbearable price of surrendering her voice to the state.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- austere
- claustrophobic
- oppressive
- serious viewing
- political cinema discussion
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Roya must choose between making a forced televised confession and remaining imprisoned for her political beliefs.
The central ordeal takes place around Roya’s three-square-metre cell, turning confinement into the film’s defining atmosphere.
The demanded televised confession transforms Roya’s voice into a tool of political coercion.
Roya’s political convictions directly determine whether she accepts the authorities’ terms or preserves her integrity in confinement.
Films like Roya, and why
The Circle
women-centered Iranian drama confronting political repression and institutional coercion
The Lives of Others
contained political drama about surveillance, state power, and moral resistance
Hunger
intense prison drama focused on political conviction, confinement, and bodily vulnerability
Movie Details
- Director
- Mahnaz Mohammadi
- Release Date
- 2026-05-07
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 9.0 / 10 (2)
Cast
- Melisa Sözen
- Maryam Palizban
- Hadmidreza Djavdan
- Mohammad Ali Hosseinalipour
- Bacho Meburishvili
- Gholamhassan Taseiri
- Babak Radmehr
- Hassina Burgan
Common questions
- What is Roya about?
- A politically imprisoned teacher confronts the unbearable price of surrendering her voice to the state.
- What is Roya like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Roya as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Roya violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Roya.
- Which films are like Roya?
- Films with a similar feel include The Circle, The Lives of Others, and Hunger.
- How long is Roya?
- Roya runs 93 minutes.
