At Palazzo degli Autori (Palace of Authors), on the Venice seafront just a few steps from the Casino, we asked the director, Shirin Nasharet, what is the relationship with his country of origin: Iran. The art director confessed "I have never come back to my country since 1996, because of the Government's issues". As well as Mitra, in the film, that she can’t return to the Islamic Republic even to look for her missing son.

"I am not Arab, because I don’t live there, but generally talking about what I learn from the media, from the Internet and newspapers - she added - there is a huge gap between women and men in the Arab world today, starting from education, to which many women have no access".

Shirin prefers not to talk about politics, but her artistic refinement that draws from the early scenes of the film lets glimpse a great introspective journey and an in-depth search for the life of the Egyptian singer and diva Oum Kulthum.

It would be nice if the film could inspire Muslim women in hunt of an emancipation and freedom that put an end to the dilemma that affects the three women in the film. Shirin hopes that her work may be of inspiration, as many Muslim activists are following her job, although she recognises that it will be very difficult.

"Looking for Oum Kulthum". At the Venice Film Festival, women's emancipation in the Middle East.