INTERRUPTIONS examines the various paths we choose when our day-to-day life is interrupted. Farzin, a gay man living in Tehran, finds himself accused of a crime he did not commit. He, however, realizes that if he tells the truth to the authorities, he will be more severely punished for his sexual orientation, than for the crime which he is thought of having committed. Interruptions is also an intimate look at the interrupted psyche of a country whose dreams of freedom and justice have repeatedly been thwarted. Alemi's examination of Iranian society and its complex rituals is fresh and full of life. Continual political upheavals in an Iran dominated by fanatics form the backdrop to Interruptions?where the rich history of Farzin's family is interwoven with the misfortunes of a nation.

One hot summer's day in Tehran, school-teacher Farzin Rouhani leaves his house for a short walk to meet his lover. In the next half hour his life is turned upside down. The secret police arrest him on suspicion of conspiring to overthrow the Iranian government. Although he is innocent, telling the truth is not an option. Facing his interrogator, Farzin has to decide--does he want to be jailed for subversion or for revealing his homosexuality?