'The Last Cedar of Lebanon': A play exploring war’s lasting scars

Aïda Asgharzadeh was widely praised for her powerful exploration of dissidence and exile in Persian Dolls, weaving her own family’s story into a drama spanning Iran and France. Her deft use of history as a backdrop to intimate, personal narratives is once again in focus with her latest play, The Last Cedar of Lebanon, which examines how individuals respond to the pressures of war and violence – and how geopolitical upheaval can echo across generations. Speaking to FRANCE 24, she explains how creating an emotional landscape lies at the heart of her work, and why, as an Iranian, she struggles to see a hopeful outcome amid the current turmoil of war.