But the documentary explores a more personal story as well: Mr. Ghavamian and Mr. Alvarez are, hailing from the same mountain town in northern, and neither man has returned since arriving in America. Mr. Alvarez, who was born Asghar Ghahraman in 1933, deserted the Navy as a young man, the penalty for which, he said, was death by firing squad, and he lived in America illegally for nearly 50 years until becoming a citizen in 2011. Mr. Ghavamian has not returned since the so-called Persian Spring protests of 2009 because he fears retribution for politically inflammatory art he created. He was granted asylum and became a citizen last year.
