Iranian Star of Oscar-Nominated Documentary ‘Cutting Through Rocks’ Will Miss the Academy Awards

Iranian Documentary Star Unable to Attend Oscars Due to Visa Restrictions

Sara Shahverdi, the central figure in the Iranian documentary Cutting Through Rocks, will not be attending the Academy Awards ceremony on March 15, filmmakers announced.

Co-directors Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni revealed via social media that efforts to secure a visa for Shahverdi to travel to Los Angeles were thwarted by the U.S. travel ban affecting Iranian citizens, compounded by the ongoing turmoil in Iran.

“Due to the U.S. travel ban, along with the many ongoing circumstances in Iran, Sara Shahverdi is not able to be present at the Oscars. We truly hoped to be together after eight years of working on this film side by side, but unfortunately, that won’t be possible,” they wrote.

Shahverdi’s absence coincides with escalating tensions in the region, as Israel recently announced that its joint military campaign with the U.S. in Iran has entered a “new stage,” following a significant strike against the Iranian regime, including the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

As the conflict enters its seventh day, Israeli forces have intensified their attacks on Tehran and the Lebanese capital of Beirut, targeting locations associated with Hezbollah, while the Gulf region remains on high alert for potential missile and drone strikes from Iran.

Cutting Through Rocks chronicles the journey of midwife Shahverdi, who broke through traditional barriers in her village in Zanjan Province to become its first female council member.

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2025, where it won the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema – Documentary category. Since then, it has received accolades during a series of film festivals.

In January, Cutting Through Rocks made history as the first Iranian documentary nominated in the Best Documentary category at the 98th Academy Awards, where it faces competition from The Alabama Solution, Come See Me in the Good Light, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, and The Perfect Neighbor.

Additionally, Iran is represented at this year’s Oscars by dissident director Jafar Panahi’s film It Was Just An Accident, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and has been nominated for Best International Feature Film as France’s entry.

Filmmakers Khaki and Eyni dedicated eight years to documenting Shahverdi’s life, drawn by her achievements as both a council member and a midwife, with over 400 deliveries to her credit. The film showcases her efforts to navigate local politics as the sole elected female councillor among 1,500 male representatives from 300 villages, advocating for women’s rights and promoting education for girls while fighting against child marriage.