An Afghani film directed by a woman is a rare thing, but Roya Sadat’s taut drama is rarer still: it’s an overtly feminist work featuring a strong female protagonist who, despite occupying a position of power, is ensnared in a patriarchal culture that threatens her very life.

Married and the mother of two kids, Soraya (Leena Alam, excellent) finds that her job as head of the Kabul Crime Division is too much for her ineffectual and abusive husband, Karim. When her work leads her to investigate her father-in-law, Karim attacks her and she accidentally kills him. In short order, she is imprisoned and sentenced to death. Will a reasoned recounting of her story in the titular letter change the course of future events?

Sadat frames her superbly acted drama as a thriller, keeping the fast-paced unfolding of Soraya’s story firmly focused on her lead; the result is a top notch work that is both eye-opening and brimming with passion.

In competition for the FIPRESCI Prize.