“Addiction is a problem of our world. For writing the script of Mainline, we went through a lengthy research on the subject. And if by watching this film in any spot of the world, even one young individual decides to avoid the drugs, we have achieved a great triumph”. While her fiancé has been studying abroad, Sara, a university student, has had a heroin addiction relapse. Now, faced with his impending return for their wedding, she and her mother undertake a desperate journey to a drug treatment centre in the countryside. This modern day portrayal of Iran's new middle-class provides a heartbreaking look at youth drug abuse in contemporary Iran.

Screenplay Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, Farid Mostafavi, Mohsen Abdolvahab, Naghmeh Samini
Photography (colour) Mahmoud Kalari
Editing Sepideh Abdolvahab
Sound Yadollah Najafi, Mohammad Reza Delpak
Cast Bita Farahi, Baran Kosari, Masoud Rayegan, Bahram Radan
Production Cinema 79, Jahangir Kosari, Rakhshan Bani-Etemad
Year of production 2006
Running time 80’
Format 35 mm

Rakhshan Bani-Etemad

Rakhshan Bani-Etemad (Teheran, 1954) directed her first feature film in 1987. She became the first woman recipient of the Best Director award at the Fajr International Film Festival in Teheran for Nargess. She won the Bronze Leopard at the 1995 Locarno Film Festival for The blue veiled. Mainline is Bani-Etemad's ninth feature film.

Mohsen Abdolvahab

Mohsen Abdolvahab (Teheran, 1957) graduated from IRIB University in Tehran with a degree in edition.. He has closely collaborated with Rakhshan Bani-Etemad for two decades. In addition to directing over 23 documentaries , Abdolvahab has over 25 years of professional experience.