Over the course of a year, sixteen women were murdered in Mahsad, Iran, in what the press dubbed a series of "spider killings," based on the murderer’s weblike entrapment of his victims. Most of the women had previously been arrested for prostitution or drug-related charges. Saeed Hanaei eventually confessed to the murders, claiming that he was motivated by his religious beliefs to rid society of these corrupt elements. The case pitted reformists who sought swift justice for the victims against religious fanatics who praised Hanaei for his devotion to Islam. Bahari employs interviews with the killer, his family, and the families of the victims to reveal the complexities and contradictions of life in contemporary Iranian society.

In 1997, the iranian National Football team stunned the international soccer community by qualifying for the World Cup. Bahari provides a sensitive and often humorous follow-up to those events with a panoramic view of some of his country’s most devoted fans. From religious school girls to the national team’s star players, the sport provides a way for people from all walks of life to come together, if only in support of their country’s team. Through this lens, Bahari presents a diverse portrait of contemporary Iran that reveals the constraints of tradition as well as the range of voices that can emerge in modern society.