Synopsis
Third Land is an intimate, multi-perspective documentary exploring the fragile lives of Iranian migrants caught in limbo in Turkey. Through a triptych of interconnected stories, the film offers a powerful human portrait of exile, dignity, and longing in a world increasingly shaped by hard borders and political hostility.
In the opening episode, we meet Hananeh, an Iranian woman working as a hotel maid in Alanya. Though a talented cook, her days are consumed with scrubbing toilets and making beds. Her dream is to escape Turkey and reach the United States. One day, a friend picks her up from work and drives her to the bus terminal—she is heading to Ankara, her hope renewed.
In the second chapter, we follow Hamid, a middle-aged Iranian migrant employed as a factory laborer on the outskirts of Ankara. A skilled craftsman, Hamid reflects on the broken asylum system. With his coworkers, he shares the collective despair of refugees whose legal cases are stalled or denied. Many, like Hamid, consider turning to smugglers in the hope of finding safe passage to Europe or North America.
The final episode introduces Kian, once a rising football talent, now wanders the city with his Turkish friends, reflecting on his father’s exile and the price of political resistance in Iran. His legal status prevents him from playing, from traveling, and even from dreaming. He lives with his mother Hananeh and his father Hamid, and together they anxiously await the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. A Trump victory would mean further delays—or denials—in their asylum application. “Their cases were halted during Trump’s first term.”
As tensions mount, Kian sneaks into a football stadium in search of his lost self. A security guard quickly ejects him, reinforcing his invisibility. Meanwhile, Hamid and Hananeh meet with an Iranian smuggler, seeking alternatives for Kian’s future. That night, Hamid takes Kian to a hidden refugee training ground, hoping to reignite his passion and open a path to opportunity through football.
Gradually, Hamid reveals the dark truth of his past in Iran—how he was forced to work for the IRGC, detained when he tried to leave, and smuggled out of the country after being banned from travel. His asylum case, once recommended for relocation to the U.S., now lies in bureaucratic suspension.
The election result devastates them: Trump has won. With hope dimmed and Hananeh’s health deteriorating, Kian begins to consider reconnecting with the Iranian state to get a new ID, but Hamid warns him that setting foot in the embassy could mean arrest—or worse.
The film closes on a quiet, emotional note. Hananeh, back at her hotel job, steps onto a balcony and records a voice message for Kian. In it, she shares a dream she and Hamid hold close: to one day see him run free across a great stadium, greeted by the cheers of thousands.
Directers bio / filmography
Farzad Khoshdast was born on June 28, 1978, in Mashhad.
Farzad began drawing and painting when he was 13, later developing an interest in theater and cinema. He acted professionally at the age of 13 and made his first Super 8 film, How Hard It Is to Fly, at 14. He studied architecture, graphic design, and eventually cinema at the Iran Cinema Institute.
A chance meeting with Abbas Kiarostami during the pre-production of Taste of Cherry marked a turning point in his artistic journey. Their relationship during the film’s editing process shaped his cinematic vision.
Over the years, Farzad Khoshdast has directed several documentary and feature films. Despite the challenges faced by independent filmmakers in Iran, he continues to pursue his craft with a mature and globally resonant artistic voice.
2019
The narrow red line – Documentary – 90 Min
Gazed Look – Feature Film – 90 Min
2017
Last Sequence – In the Memory of Abbas Kiarostami – Short Film – 2 Min
A woman without a name – Documentary – 88 Min
2015
In Prison – Documentary Seri – 7 X 60 Min
2013
Nobody – Feature Film – 40 Min
2012
The annoying Sound – Documentary Seri – 10 X 20 Min
2011
Peacock Wing Crystals – Documentary – 30 Min
The Light of District – Documentary Seri -10 X 20 Min
2010
The Chronicle of an Unfinished Filmmaker – Documentary – 92 Min
Tent, Sky, Fire – Documentary – 30 Min
2009
Tehran Poets’ Documentary – Trilogy Documentary – 3 X 20 Min
2008
The Story of a Pamphlet in Tulip Street – Feature Film – 30 Min
1997
It always happens before you think about it – Feature Film – 16mm – 40 Min
1996
Dialogue – Short Film – 35mm & Digital Format – 20 Min
Out of Breath – Documentary – 16mm – 7 Min
1994
The temptation of Light – Short Film -15 Min
1993
How hard is to Fly – Short Film – 8mm – 5 Min