Asia Society at the Movies: Coup 53
VIEW EVENT DETAILS"So You Think You Know Iran" Film Series

Film still ©Coup 53
Film still ©Coup 53
“This powerful and authoritative documentary by the Iranian filmmaker Taghi Amirani is as gripping as any thriller.” — Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
“The film’s editor is Walter Murch, who worked on The Conversation and The Godfather: Part II (both 1974) so there’s not much that he doesn’t know about conspiracy — how it leaks into a movie like the smell of drains.” — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker
“Simply great storytelling, full stop.” — Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
Exclusive Sneak Preview Prior to Coup 53’s International Launch
While making a documentary about the Anglo-American coup in Iran in 1953, Iranian director Taghi Amirani and editor Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, The English Patient) discovered extraordinary never-before-seen archive material hidden for decades. In Coup 53, the 16mm footage and documents not only allow the filmmakers to tell the story of the overthrow of the Iranian government in unprecedented detail, but also lead to explosive revelations about dark secrets buried for almost seven decades. Working with Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Schindler’s List, The English Patient) to help bring the lost material to life, what begins as a historical documentary about four days in August 1953 turns into a live investigation, taking the filmmakers into uncharted cinematic waters. The roots of Iran’s volatile relationship with Britain and the United States have never been so forensically and dramatically exposed. Coup 53 is a politically explosive and cinematically innovative documentary that grips like a thriller.
Join Asia Society at the Movies for a weekend-long screening of Coup 53. Following the weekend long screening, join director Taghi Amirani and editor Walter Murch for a discussion on how a historical documentary about four days in August 1953 turned into a live investigation, taking the filmmakers into uncharted cinematic waters. The conversation will be moderated by Hamid Dabashi of Columbia University.
The film is presented as part of So You Think You Know Iran, a six-film series presented throughout April, featuring documentaries from Iran that invite audiences to discover a lesser-known view of the country.
How to Watch the Film
Beginning April 1 at 5 p.m. New York time until April 4 at 5 p.m. New York time, Coup 53 will be available to stream via Eventive, with a 24-hour viewing window once the screening has started. Register now.
Beyond the viewing window listed above, visit Coup 53’s website for more information on the film and how to watch it.
Coup 53
UK, Iran, USA | 119 minutes | 2019
Genre: Documentary
Producer-Director and Cowriter: Taghi Amirani
Editor and Cowriter: Walter Murch A.C.E
Producer: Paul Zaentz
Coproducers: Amir Amirani and Ahmad Kiarostami
Executive Producers: Gerry Ohrstrom, Neda Nobari, and Jon Wilcox
Language: English and Persian
This program is presented by Asia Society Museum and Asia Society Southern California as part of a series titled Asia Society at the Movies.
Screening event courtesy Docunight
Docunight launched in 2014 as a monthly screening featuring Iranian documentaries in North America, and expanded to twenty-five cities by 2020. After screenings were stopped due to the pandemic, Docunight transitioned into a streaming platform with the goal of becoming an online library for documentaries from or about Iran. Docunight recently expanded its collection to include documentaries about Afghanistan as well. To date, Docunight has about 200 films with new documentaries added each week.
Docunight is an initiative undertaken by the Kiarostami Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit based in California.


Asia Society at the Movies
Asia Society at the Movies is a series of film screenings and conversations showcasing a broad range of films and filmmakers from across Asia and the Asian diaspora. Asia Society at the Movies celebrates established and emerging voices, contemporary films and classics, and documentaries. The series builds on Asia Society’s long and rich history of film programming. This initiative also serves to deepen understanding of Asian cultures—a core part of Asia Society’s mission since its creation. Learn more about the Asia Society at the Movies initiative.
About Asia Society Museum
Asia Society Museum presents a wide range of traditional, modern, and contemporary exhibitions of Asian and Asian American art, taking new approaches to familiar masterpieces and introducing under-recognized arts and artists. The Asia Society Museum Collection comprises a traditional art collection, including the initial bequests of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd, and a contemporary art collection. Through exhibitions and public programs, Asia Society provides a forum for the issues and viewpoints reflected in both traditional and contemporary Asian art and in Asia today.
About Asia Society Southern California
Established in Los Angeles in 1985, Asia Society Southern California (ASSC) is ideally situated at the gateway to the Asia-Pacific region. ASSC has played a pivotal role through creative programs and activities in increasing shared knowledge, enhancing dialogue, and furthering cultural exchanges transcending regional boundaries. As part of the global Asia Society, which was founded more than 60 years ago in New York City, ASSC has launched many creative initiatives and programs addressing current issues of importance across the fields of the arts, culture, policy, business, and education.