By Nolan Feeney
Iranian-born Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari was imprisoned, interrogated and tortured on spy charges for 118 days after covering the 2009 Iranian election.
Written and directed by Jon Stewart — yes, the host of The Daily Show, making his directorial debut — Rosewater tells the story of Bahari’s ordeal, which he also recounted in his 2011 memoir Then They Came for Me.
Mexican actor Gael García Bernal plays Bahari, who in real life landed in hot water with the Iranian authorities partly because of a mock interview he did on Stewart’s show back in 2009. That segment was later used against him as evidence of seditious activity.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan.feeney@time.com