Maryam fled Iran at the age of twenty, wrapped in a sheepskin, hidden among a flock crossing the mountainous border between Iran and Turkey. The revolution had just triumphed, and her politically active friends were either imprisoned or executed. Her family decided to save her at any cost. She left Iran – and never returned. With the help of her friends, Maryam has installed surveillance cameras throughout her parents’ house; a flickering connection between her and the past displayed on a screen in her American home. When the internet in Iran cuts out, the images freeze or vanish, severing Maryam’s connection to her home. Past and present merge and blur. A poetic and poignant story of exile, memory, and the hidden ties with places we can no longer return to – places we can only visit through dreams, technology, and longing.

DIRECTOR'S NOTES:

Past Future Continuous is inspired by the personal experiences of friends and family who left Iran seeking new lives abroad. Nearly every Iranian remaining in the country has considered leaving at some point, while some Iranians who have emigrated have longed to return. Past Future Continuous shifts focus from the act of leaving to the homes and land left behind – places that grow emptier over time. It reflects on the quiet loss of connection, the fading warmth of these spaces, and the enduring love that survives despite distance.