Iranian Yellow Pages

Reza rides his bike through north London's Little Tehran listening to a hypnotherapist's tape on how to relieve stress. In his cramped flat, he makes soup to a family recipe while dreaming of building a business that will enable him to bring his wife and son to join him.

Anna Snowball's affectionate documentary offers a snapshot of Reza's life while also introducing us to an eccentric newspaper - printed on yellow paper - aimed at the Iranian expat community, which is crammed with small ads featuring everything from men looking for love, to a singer who only lip syncs.

Although it would benefit from a longer running time that could shine a brighter light on the contours of Reza's life, Snowball nevertheless captures the emotional turbulence faced by many migrants who are trying to forge new lives in fresh countries while cut-off from their families. Reza is a warm and likeable protagonist, whose determination speaks volumes, even when things don't always work out.

Snowball adds movement and colour to her film with kaleidoscopic animation, and makes good use of framing to ensure we really look at Reza directly and consider his life. The ending is heartwarming but the editing is abrupt. It's a shame some of the quirkiness wasn't sacrificed to make a little more room for storytelling.