The Iran Job

Kevin Sheppard, a flashy American point guard, who hails from tiny St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, didn’t make it. At least not to the NBA, the highest stage of professional basketball. As a so-called “journeyman” Kevin built a career for himself the hard way - by playing overseas, in countries like Brazil, Venezuela, Spain, China and Israel. Having seen much of the world this way, Kevin accepts a job to play in one of the world’s most feared countries, Iran.

Kevin’s family - particularly his girlfriend Leah - is not happy about his decision to play in a country widely considered a safe-haven for Islamic terrorists and suspected of being in pursuit of nuclear weapons. Kevin’s fragile relationship with Leah, who’s pushing for an engagement ring, is put to the test when Kevin refuses to take her along for the ride - ‘for safety concerns.’ It doesn’t help that Iran's president Ahmadinejad has just called for the destruction of Israel – again, reinforcing the “axis of evil” label that has stuck to Iran for years. But ultimately the salary is good enough to overcome Kevin’s fears; he signs a yearlong contract with A.S. Shiraz, a new team in Iran’s Super League.

After his arrival in Shiraz, located in Southwestern Iran - between Persia’s ancient capital, Persepolis, and one of the country’s nuclear sites - Kevin tries to separate sports from politics and religion only to find that both are impossible to escape in Iran. The scrutiny that comes with being the “American import,” the highest paid player, and the only black guy on his club, intensifies the pressure to lead his team to success. The club’s stated goal is to reach the play-offs, a feat that has never been accomplished by a first-year team. Kevin’s own goals are even higher – he wants to win the Iranian championship. The stakes are clear: if he fails to lead Shiraz to the play-offs, he will get fired. Using a contagious sense of humor that penetrates all language barriers, Kevin coaxes his under-achieving team to play as a unit. Thanks to his hip-hop-loving teammates, he also immerses himself in Iran’s urban subculture. The hunt for the play-offs leads to a dramatic showdown. But the emotional arc is set outside of the basketball court. Here, the Iran Kevin finds is vibrant and full of intellectual, political and sexual energy. Kevin quickly faces a challenge much greater than basketball when he forms an unlikely alliance with three outspoken Iranian women - Elaheh, Hilda and Laleh, all in their 20’s. These women are attracted to Kevin for different reasons, and they risk much more than broken hearts. In Iran there are serious consequences for unmarried women who socialize with men, particularly foreign men. How this unfolds, the added danger and intrigue, and how it affects Kevin's commitment to Leah propels the narrative into unexpected territories. Kevin’s apartment becomes an oasis of free speech where he and the women discuss everything from politics, to religion, to sex and gender roles.

Kevin’s friendship with the women is contrasted by the bond he forms with his teammates - particularly Mehdi, Ali and Kami - who offer a male perspective on life in Iran for the under-25 population. Kevin also connects with Zoran, the second import player on his team, who hails from Serbia. Zoran provides yet another perspective on this cross-cultural adventure. Through his friends and teammates, and in particular through the three women, Kevin learns about Iran, about Islam, about the desire for freedom, and about Iran’s social and women's rights issues. Along the way he manages to turn a group of inexperienced players into contenders. Kevin’s professional and personal storylines merge in dramatic fashion when the play-offs coincide with Iran’s controversial 2009 presidential election. The ensuing riots shape his personal world-view as he grows from being an easy-go-lucky jock to becoming a mature global citizen who is finally ready to commit to his girlfriend. Kevin’s season in Iran culminates in something much bigger than basketball: the uprising and subsequent suppression of Iran’s reformist Green Movement – a powerful prelude to the currently unfolding Arab Spring. Seeking sports glory in “enemy territory,” Kevin instead undergoes a life-changing political and personal awakening while providing his own brand of basketball diplomacy.

“THE IRAN JOB“ is the best kind of documentary-- it makes a distant place seem intimate and helps us understand our own injustices by showing them in a different form. It somehow does all this while being as entertaining as life itself. Do see it." (Gloria Steinem)

“THE IRAN JOB” is a highly entertaining, moving documentary that offers a unique perspective on the country through this one man. It’s such a warm, winning tale that seeking it out is worth your while.” (Indiewire)