From the opening moments, it’s clear the title character is not a typical female in this patriarchal society: she’s dirt-bike racing.

But as the understated domestic drama unfurls, it becomes obvious even a woman this strong is no match for the web of rules around her behaviour in Tehran. She works hard at her husband’s pizza joint, but when tragedy strikes, she struggles to run it alone. This is, after all, a country where a woman delivering pizza on her motorcycle at night is a shock. While not as tightly or artfully wrought as an Asghar Farhadi film, Azar raises similar deep social questions, and is helped by Niki Karimi’s strong, near wordless performance.