FREMONT
Directed by Babak Jalali
2023 | 91 min | United States | UNCL 15+
Awards
2023 Sundance Film Festival
World Premiere, NEXT
2023 SXSW Film Festival
Official Selection
2023 San Francisco International Film Festival
Official Selection
2023 Karlovy Vary Film Festival
Winner: Best Director, Crystal Globe Competition
2023 Seattle International Film Festival
Official Selection
2023 Edinburgh International Film Festival
UK Premiere, Closing Night Film
Blazing a trail at The 2023 Sundance Film Festival and scoring the Best Director prize at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, FREMONT is a tough, gritty, but sweetly tempered tale of displacement and the surprising joys of fitting in. Boasting stunning performances from exciting newcomer Anaita Wali Zada, award-winning man-of-the-moment Jeremy Allen White (THE BEAR, THE IRON CLAW) and actor-writer-comedian Gregg Turkington (ANT-MAN).
The film centres on Donya, a lonely young Afghan woman who relocates to Fremont, California after serving as a translator for the American army. Working at a fortune cookie factory, Donya grapples with guilt from her past and struggles with self-esteem. Amidst it all, she discovers solace and connection through fortune cookies. A deeply affecting work from Iranian-British filmmaker Babak Jalali, Fremont takes hold and refuses to let go. FREMONT is infused with stoic optimism and captivating dry humour, and offers a poignant exploration of solitude experienced by immigrants in a foreign country.
“The potency of Fremont sneaks up on you. You go in reluctant and even sceptical, and come out wondering how and why you’re moved to tears.” –– Tomris Laffry | VARIETY
