Hamid Naficy, author most recently of A Social History of Iranian Cinema, is a professor at Northwestern University

Watching The Night It Rained is an exhilarating experience. It represents ground zero in the playful intellectual tradition of docu-fiction later developed by directors such as Abbas Kiarostami and Mohsen Makhmalbaf. A boy is said to have averted a catastrophic train crash, but the truth surrounding this heroic act seems to be in question. Also screening are two documentaries commissioned by The Women's Organization of Iran: Women's Quarter, which depicts the tragic lives of prostitutes from Tehran's red light district, and Women's Prison, which explores life behind bars for women and their children. Plus, Tehran Is the Capital of Iran, a powerful portrait of a poverty-stricken district.