THE IRAN JOB – An Unlikely Journey of An American Professional Basketball Player to Iran

By: Shirin Jamshidi

In their soon-to-be-released film, The Iran Job, Sara Nojoudmi and her husband Till Schauder follow an American basketball player Kevin Sheppard as he accepts a job to play in one of the world’s most unstable countries: Iran.

With tensions running high between Iran and the West and the political turmoil of 2009, Kevin tries to separate sports from politics, only to find that politics is impossible to escape in Iran. Along the way he forms an unlikely alliance with three outspoken Iranian women. Thanks to these women, his apartment turns into an oasis of free speech, where they discuss everything from politics to religion to gender roles. Kevin’s season in Iran culminates in something much bigger than basketball: the uprising and subsequent suppression of Iran’s reformist Green Movement – a powerful prelude to the currently unfolding Arab Spring. The film is a living documentary of Kevin’s experiences in Iran and how he found longstanding friendships and increased respect for the people and culture of Iran.

The Iran Job has been submitted for review and viewing decision. In the meantime, Sara and Till are focusing on their Kickstart campaign to raise money for the final touches of their movie as they get ready to introduce The Iran Job to the world in 2012. To do so, Sara and Till must depend on the generosity and outpouring of support from the Iranian American community. With less than three weeks, they must raise nearly $50,000 to budget the final editing and release of their film.

To learn more about the movie, the Kickstart campaign, and show your support, you can check out the movie’s website.