AllMovie

The high stakes of pre-marital sex in Iran provide the backdrop for this independent drama. Elham (Nasim Kiani) is a college student studying astronomy; while taking a course with professor Ali (Mehrdad Sheykhi), the two become attracted to one another and have a brief affair. However, when it becomes clear Ali has no intention of marrying Elham, it puts them both in a perilous situation. Circumstances threaten to make their relationship public knowledge, which would disgrace Elham and her family and damage Ali's reputation. Hoping to remedy the situation, Ali convinces Elham to see a doctor who claims he can perform an illegal operation that restores a woman's hymen; however, this bid to artificially reclaim Elham's virginity takes a turn for the worse which helps no one involved. Orion was financed independently and shot by director and screenwriter Zamani Esmati without the knowledge of the Iranian government, given the controversial nature of the material.