Countdown
All day long, all she does is study. 18-year-old Parisa Pouladi is buried in her books. From early morning until late at night, she's only concerned with one thing: the college entrance exam. Along with more than a million other high school graduates in Iran, Parisa hopes she will be accepted to a top-notch college. Of all the students taking the exam, less than half will pass. Most applicants are girls, who consider a college education their only chance at a good job. Director Khatereh Hanachi had unlimited access to the house where Parisa, her parents and her sister live in Tehran. For weeks, she films the preparations for the exam, which take their toll on all family members. It turns out Parisa is a demanding teenager who is pampered by her parents. Her younger sister Maryam finds it hard to stomach, but after weeks of domestic tension, even their mother is reaching the end of her rope. "I've been running after her since her first day of school," she pours out in a candid moment. "To be honest, I'm tired now. I'm completely worn out."