Car as a Home, an Emotional Geography, and a Tool of Resistance in Iranian Cinema by Studying Deep Breath

Among Iranian films that address the struggles of youth, Deep Breath (Parviz Shahbazi 2003) is widely regarded by critics as one of the most authentic cinematic depictions of Iranian youth in the early 2000s. A particularly notable aspect of the film is the evolving dramatic function of the car as a metaphorical home—shaped by the unique cultural, social, and political dimensions of Iranian society. This article examines the car as a mobile, modern, and unconventional dwelling in Deep Breath, one that replaces the traditional notion of home. It investigates how the car, serving as an alternative domestic space, allows characters to construct their own emotional geography and provides them with a means of resisting prevailing social norms and state-imposed regulations in Iran.