Unsung Hero Nasrin Satoudeh is a Welcomed Voice for the Voiceless

In an editorial headlined “In praise of Nasrin Sotoudeh, ” The Guardian wrote, “As a lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh spoke out for the rights of her imprisoned clients and other women but was then banged up herself – the price she paid for telling the truth. Long the voice of the voiceless in Iran, Nasrin requires every ounce of her extraordinary courage to avoid being silenced herself.” We feel privileged to amplify Nasrin’s voice and the voice of those she represents. Like Nelson Mandela, she speaks to the world.

Secretly filmed in Iran by women and men who risked arrest, this immersive cinematic documentation of the world’s most honored human rights activist and political prisoner, illustrates how Nasrin has fought for women’s rights, children, religious minorities, journalists, artists and those facing the death penalty for decades. However, midway thorugh filming, Nasrin was arrested in June 2018 while representing women who were protesting Iran’s mandatory hijab law. She was sentenced to 38 years in prison with 148 lashes.

As dismissive male legistlators all over the globe continue to view and treat women’s rights with no real seriousness, it was refreshing to witness that Nasrin’s husband Reza has no problem fighting the good fight beside her.  Especially, with lines in the sand, Reza shows his bravery, consistency and desire for change daily.

Like Malala, Nasrin reminds me of the superheroes before them like Harriet Tubman, Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, Ava Duvernay, Gloria Steinam, Shirley Chisolm, Vice-President, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Ida B. Wells, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Alice Paul and thousands who marched and risked their livilhood, sanity and saftey for just a simple chance at equality.

We are living in very challenging times where our democracy is up for grabs.  The rights of humans and women  are grossly being targeted and challenged for no apparently good reason.  Is this new?  Of course not.  Filmmaker Jeff Kaufman, alongside his wife/producer Marcia Ross lays the facts out on parade with his thought provoking, soul stirring documentary. Produced by Floating World Pictures  and now streaming via HULU, NASRIN is narrated by Academy Award-winner Olivia Colman with  an original song written by the Tony Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated team of Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) & Stephen Flaherty (music), performed by 4-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo.

Forget the Avengers, Black Widow, Captain America and Wonder Woman – Nasrin Satoudeh is on the case drop kicking doors down for the rights of all with every fiber of her being.  Even as entities continue to silence her from behind bars, this resilient unstoppable force will forever be the voice for the voiceless.