Sundance Drama ‘The Friend’s House Is Here’, Filmed Secretly in Iran, Secures U.S. Distribution Deal

Greenwich Entertainment Acquires U.S. Distribution Rights to Sundance Film "The Friend’s House Is Here"

Greenwich Entertainment has secured U.S. distribution rights for the compelling drama The Friend’s House Is Here, written, directed, and produced by the husband-and-wife filmmaking team Maryam Ataei and Hossein Keshavarz.

The film, produced by Alma Linda Films, premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance, where it received the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast. Greenwich Entertainment plans to release the highly praised film in theaters this fall.

Set against the backdrop of Tehran, The Friend’s House Is Here depicts the lives of two young women who cultivate a vibrant world of freedom, creativity, and sisterhood within the city’s underground art scene. However, their community faces imminent exposure, forcing them to safeguard each other and the delicate life they have constructed.

The acquisition of the film was negotiated by Greenwich’s Andy Bohn, with WME Independent representing the filmmakers. Maryam Keshavarz, known for The Persian Version, served as executive producer.

Producing the film presented significant challenges, particularly following a bombing in Iran by the U.S. last summer. With limited communication channels, the filmmakers encountered logistical obstacles, including transporting the final cut. A crew member undertook a 12-hour journey, navigating five security checkpoints to deliver the hard drive across the border into Turkey. Unfortunately, cast members were unable to attend the premiere due to U.S. visa restrictions and currently remain in Tehran.

“It’s been such an incredible journey to make this film underground with our fearless actors and smuggle it out of Iran,” Ataei and Keshavarz remarked. “We have been so humbled by the reception at Sundance and are overjoyed to work with Greenwich on the theatrical release to bring it to audiences across the country.”