Afshin, a captivating Iranian graduate student, rents a room in Miriam ValmontÕs home. Landlady and tenant share an immediate and fast-growing attraction, despite the fact that Miriam is twice AfshinÕs age. When Afshin proposes a temporary Islamic marriage, Miriam readily agrees, driven by desire and curiosity. What shocks her, though, is the role Afshin invites her to play at the end of the marriage so that he, as a Muslim, can continue to express affection. The Bird and the Fish is the story of two people with radically different lives who find a way to honor a passionate love.