In a world where political and societal forces often feel overwhelming, how do filmmakers and editors craft deeply personal narratives that still reflect these larger realities? This talk examines two contrasting films, from Iran and Afghanistan, that explore themes of time, women's struggles for freedom, and the experience of exile. Filmmaker and editor Farahnaz Sharifi of the award winning film My Stolen Planet (Iran, Germany 2024) and editor Afsaneh Salari from Writing Hawa (dir. Najiba Noori, France, Netherlands, Qatar, Afghanistan, 2024, selected for the International Competition), will talk about the use of diverse storytelling tools such as voiceover, observational moments, and archival footage. These films illustrate how individual narratives can illuminate broader societal issues while offering distinct cinematic approaches to the complexities of identity and belonging.