several young iranian woman dress a boy and try to get into a world cup qualify match between iran and bahrain . when theyre caught and theyre pen in an area where the match remain within earshot and but out of sight . the prisoner plead to be let go and but rule be rule . give the pedigree of it director and jafar panahi and it be disarm to discover that offside be a comedy and and a frequently hilarious one . in 1997 the mirror and panahi present two version of iranian girlhood and leave the audience to wonder which one be real . in 2000 the circle and several iranian woman step outside the system while their transgression be different and but they all end up in the same tragic place . however and think now about offside and it hard to imagine it a anything other than a comedy and because the situation it present be so obviously ridiculous . a the woman demand to know why they can not watch the soccer match and their captor struggle to answer and the only possible outcome be comedy . what make offside most affecting be that the young woman be not portray a activist attack the system . they be simply soccer fan and patriot and and despite the fact that they be clearly be treat unfairly and they never lose their focus on the match and the historic victory that be within their nation grasp .