In a land where sexuality can mean life or death, a refugee girl must become someone else to survive. Fleeing from Iran to Europe and stranded in Afghanistan Maryam must disguise herself as a boy to escape danger. Unaware of her true identity, the young man Ahmed takes her in, and soon an unlikely bond begins to form between them. Just Like a Boy is a story of survival, sexuality, and forbidden love, where the lines between enemy and ally, and friendship and love blur.

Cast & Crew
Producers: Anne-Louise Lucas, Armine Anda, Kim Magnusson, René Ezra
Director: Bahar Pars
Script: Bahar Pars
Director of Photography: Gabriel Mkrttchian
Production Design: Eduard Hakobyan
Music: Karzan Mahmood
Sound: Bernt Ekstrand
Editing: Oskar Blondell, Haideh Safiyari
Cast: Farnaz Roustaei, Shayan Disvhali, Bahar Pars, Armine Anda
Production. Stikling Film, Hoshkee Film

Bahar Pars
Bahar Pars is a critically acclaimed Iranian/Swedish director and actress. Her distinct vision is manifested in her short film trilogy which received great international success and official selections and awards at festivals such as Sundance and Clermont-Ferrand. Bahar Pars recently directed Nosejob, which premiered at Göteborg FF 2025. Just Like a Boy is an exploration of diaspora and exile, inspired by her own experience as a young girl in Iran.

Filmography
Ghetto Swedish (short, 2015), The Turk Kiosk (short, 2018), Donkeyland (short, 2023), Nosejob (short, 2025), Just Like a Boy (short, 2025)․