Bani Khoshnoudi's "The Vanishing Point" Documentary to Premiere at MoMA

The film, which explores a decades-long family silence surrounding the execution of a cousin during the 1988 purges in Iran, will make its US debut at the Museum of Modern Art.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Bani Khoshnoudi's documentary essay film "Noghteh-e-Goriz" ("The Vanishing Point"), which has gained significant international acclaim, is set to make its US premiere at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York on February 23, 2026. The film delves into the long-silenced story of the execution of Khoshnoudi's cousin during the 1988 purges in Iran's political prisons, using a fragmented, archival approach interwoven with the director's own diaristic footage filmed over years in Iran.

Why it matters

The Vanishing Point tackles a subject - the 1988 executions in Iran - that remains largely taboo, and by breaking her family's silence, Khoshnoudi is contributing to a broader effort to acknowledge and address this dark chapter in Iranian history. The film's exploration of collective trauma and the long-lasting effects of political repression resonates with audiences globally, particularly in contexts where freedom of expression is curtailed.

The details

The film's structure is notably layered, utilizing abandoned houses and surviving objects as symbolic anchors for memory. Khoshnoudi's approach, described as a 'documentary essay,' suggests a deeply subjective and artistic interpretation of historical events, moving beyond traditional documentary storytelling. The use of various film formats - 16mm, Super 8, and 4K - further emphasizes the fragmented nature of memory and the challenges of reconstructing the past.

  • The Vanishing Point premiered at the Visions du Réel Festival in 2026, receiving the JURY PRIZE in the BURNING LIGHTS COMPETITION.
  • The film will make its US premiere at New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) on February 23, 2026.
  • The film will receive its Spanish premiere at the Gijón International Film Festival (FICX) in Spain from November 14 to November 22, 2026.

The players

Bani Khoshnoudi

The director of the documentary essay film "The Vanishing Point," which explores a decades-long family silence surrounding the execution of a cousin during the 1988 purges in Iran's political prisons. Khoshnoudi was exiled from Iran after her previous film documenting the 2009 Green Movement was banned.

Noghteh-e-Goriz (The Vanishing Point)

Khoshnoudi's documentary essay film that delves into the long-silenced story of the execution of her cousin during the 1988 purges in Iran's political prisons.

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

The New York-based art museum that will host the US premiere of Khoshnoudi's film "The Vanishing Point" on February 23, 2026.

Gijón International Film Festival (FICX)

The Spanish film festival that will host the Spanish premiere of Khoshnoudi's film "The Vanishing Point" from November 14 to November 22, 2026. FICX is known for championing 'truly independent cinema.'

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The takeaway

Khoshnoudi's film "The Vanishing Point" tackles a subject that remains largely taboo in Iran, breaking the silence around the 1988 executions and contributing to a broader effort to acknowledge and address this dark chapter in Iranian history. The film's exploration of collective trauma and the long-lasting effects of political repression resonates with audiences globally, particularly in contexts where freedom of expression is curtailed.