Nila's Dream in the Garden of Eden

Set in the city of Mashhad, Iran, this documentary follows Leyla and her six-year-old daughter, Nila. Because Nila was born from a temporary marriage, she lacks a legal identity and cannot attend school without her father's recognition. The film centers on Leyla's struggle against social judgment and a complex bureaucratic system as she tries to secure a birth certificate for her daughter to ensure her future.

Niloufar Taghizadeh wrote, produced, and directed the film, which is the first of two works she directed in 2024, followed by Googoosh: Made of Fire. The production was a collaboration between ZDF and Windcatcher Productions in Germany. The documentary features Nila Rahmati and Leyla Biouk appearing as themselves, with Mia Radzuweit and Jasmin Tabatabai providing the voices for Nila and Leyla, respectively. The film has a total runtime of 98 minutes.