On 8 March, International Women’s Day, Conversas Fora do Comum presents a session dedicated to women who broke boundaries — geographical, political and symbolic.
This special session brings together cinema, literature and lived experience to think about travel as an act of defiance and freedom.
The session opens with the documentary Beyond the Lies, by Iranian filmmaker and activist Mahnaz Mohammadi, which takes us to contemporary Iran, where the shutdown of communications amplifies the silencing of crimes committed by the government, particularly against women. The film reminds us that when we cannot see, violence happens in the dark.
After the screening, the conversation continues through the book Mulheres Viajantes, by Sónia Serrano, which rescues from oblivion eighteen women who challenged the conventions of their time and travelled the world alone. From the 4th century to the present day, these are stories of women who defied expected behaviour, crossed forbidden territories and left a mark on travel writing — such as Freya Stark, who mapped north-eastern Iran while searching for the castles of the historic Assassins sect.
Joining the conversation is also Mara Mureș, a cycle traveller and illustrator who in 2025 pedalled from Bajouca to Timor-Leste and celebrated her birthday in Iran. A journey made with the body, slow time and a notebook in her panniers, where she draws and writes what she lives.
Between past and present, between archive and road, this session invites reflection on women who dare to move beyond what is expected of them — and asks, directly: what does it still mean, today, to be a woman out of the ordinary?
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