Marking Mahsa Amini's Death With a Scream

Our Ad of the Week weaves ethereal imagery into a message of defiance and hope.

To mark the one-year anniversary of student Mahsa Amini’s death in Iran under suspicious circumstances, agency Hope Paris has released “The First Scream.”

Narrated in French and Farsi by actor Zar Amir, we get an elegantly wrought manifesto for women’s freedoms—the right not only to live, but to thrive.

“The First Scream” is the work of a collective, which includes Barka Zerouali (founder of Hope Paris), Bruno Aveillan (who directed the ad), Bouchra Rejani, Laurie Lacourt, Zoé Balthus, Aicha Fetouhi, Vanessa Djian and Yamina Belarbi.

In the collective’s words, this is “a letter of hope and love written by the little girl who is about to be born, to the woman she will become. It is a poetic tribute to the irrepressible force of life that characterizes the resilience and determination of Iranian youth. It expresses the ardent and legitimate desire for freedom, which would allow all women to dance, sing, study and love according to their own will.”

This is an impassioned defense of fundamental rights—one that feels relatable well beyond the borders of Iran. It also marks a strong debut for fledgling agency Hope. Prior to founding the company, Zerouali cut her teeth at La Chose, where she clocked 15 years.

“I’m proud to be able to carry such an important project,” says Amir, a recognized women’s rights campaigner who, last year, was included in the BBC’s 100 Women list. “Every word counts. It’s a moving tribute in memory of Masha. We mustn’t forget this young woman like all the others.”

The campaign is currently running in the Paris Métro circuit, courtesy of Mediatransports.