In her debut documentary, director Abby Mohaddes shares the story of her father’s enduring bond with his college friends, spanning over forty years. The group of friends from Iran known as the “Nebraska Group,” created a bond as they navigated both the political fallout of the Iranian Revolution and the Iran Hostage Crisis while studying at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as international students in the 1970’s. Mohaddes joined her father and his friends as they took a look back on their journey back to Lincoln, Nebraska, and commemorated the power of the group’s friendship, and the bond that they carried with them through today.
Angela Bryan, the associate director of International Student and Support, was invited to the special screening at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, where she said the film showcased the close community the Iranian people shared in Nebraska and at UNL.
“Throughout my career, I admitted many students from Iran, and one thing I noticed is that they appeared to form a tight community here, with our current students more than happy to help new students as they transitioned to life in Lincoln,” Bryan said. “This was especially important since political tension between the U.S. and Iran has resulted in an incredibly difficult, expensive, and time-consuming visa process for Iranian students, with many of them waiting years to receive their visas to study in the U.S.”
The film made Bryan feel proud to be a part of a community that welcomed people from different places, experiences, and backgrounds.
“It made me feel proud, not only because of how they spoke so glowingly about UNL, Lincoln, and Nebraska but also because it highlighted the importance of what we do as international educators,” Bryan said. “These students – like all international students – arrive in Lincoln and begin the process of integrating into the community, often connecting with residents and becoming an integral part of Lincoln’s social fabric. Lincolnites continued to support these students, showing how a smaller, conservative Midwest town looked past political, ethnic, and cultural differences to welcome others into their community.”
Although Bryan had previous knowledge of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the Hostage Crisis, she learned more by hearing first-hand how international students were affected while on UNL’s campus during that time.
“I had never thought to consider how these events impacted our international students, so the first-hand accounts of what these students experienced – particularly how they were effectively cut off from their homeland for the rest of their lives – will stay with me for a long time,” she said.
Bryan’s favorite part of the documentary was listening to the “Nebraska Group’s” experience, and taking a walk down memory lane through their eyes and perspectives.
“Although most of us did not know each other, we all felt connected in that moment because “the Iranian group” invited us to become part of their community through the personal stories they shared.”