Mitra, an ambitious artist in her late 40s, a mother and a wife is caught between a golden opportunity to advance her career outside of Iran and the difficult decision of leaving her beloved family and country behind. Following her desire, she soon achieves fame and success abroad, but her career choices make it impossible to return home, and hence she’s separated from her son indefinitely.
Soon Mitra embarks on her life long dream of making a film about her hero, the legendary female singer of the Arab world, Oum Kulthum. Her film’s central aim is to explore the struggles, sacrifices and the price of Oum Kulthum’s success as a woman artist living in a conservative male dominated society.
However, the sudden disappearance of Mitra’s young teenage son during film production, and the mounting difficulties of capturing the essence of Oum Kulthum as a myth, a woman, and an artist, lead Mitra to have a complete emotional and artistic break down.
It is now, Ghada, Mitra’s lead actress playing the role of Oum Kulthum, an exceptionally gifted actress and singer, yet a simple woman lacking all ambitions, who comes to Mitra’s rescue. Ghada is connected to the core of life and femininity and is naturally wise.
It is through bonding with Ghada that Mitra finally reaches a form of self-realization, and an artistic breakthrough.