Country: IranLanguage: Persian
Actors: Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami, Shahab Hosseini, Sareh Bayat & Sarina Farhadi
Director: Asghar Farhadi
A drama that explores the judicial, familial, gender, social and religious pressure the middle class Iran is faced with today. Amazingly acted out, it doesn’t seem like a film at all barring a moment or two. This one is more real than the most real reality show you would ever have seen.
A couple married for 14 years with an 11 year old daughter is in the middle of a bitter divorce battle. The reason, the wife wants to leave the country to give a better future for her daughter. The husband can’t because he has to take care of his Alzheimer afflicted old father.
The judge doesn’t give a ruling but asks them to take some time to see if they can reconcile. As Simin, the wife moves to her parents place, Nader hires a woman to take care of his father. The young lady, Razieh hails from a poor family hounded by debtors thanks to her jobless husband. Getting a hang of the taxing job of taking care of a Alzheimer patient and the religious implication of handling an elderly male, she decides to put her jobless husband in her place. But as luck would have it the guy gets arrested for defaulting on a loan and is sent to jail.
So the pregnant Razieh decides to continue with the work till her husband comes out. And brings her toddler daughter to the work place. Circumstances force Nader accuse Razieh of stealing money and neglecting his old father. The accusation leads to a fight and Nader shoving Razieh out of his house and a miscarriage for her.
Nader is arrested for having caused the miscarriage, a charge he refutes. And the drama reaches a crescendo touching upon the key drivers of the contemporary Iran like gender, morality, monetary & political uncertainty, judiciary and religion.
Towards the end the couple is back in the family court for finalising their divorce. This time with both parties agreeing on separating, the judge asks their young daughter with whom she wants to stay. The girl says she wants to tell her decision to the judge in person. The credit title rolls with the couple waiting outside the courtroom as their daughter is alone in the courtroom talking to the judge.
The actors, Leila Hatami who plays Simin and Peyman Moaadi who plays Nader have already won loads of acclaim and awards for their lovely portrayal of the two main characters. Sareh Bayat who plays the role of Razieh and Ali-Azghar Shahbazi who plays the Alzheimer affected father of Nader are a class apart.
This movie doesn’t have fancy cinematography, except the lovely piano piece as the end titles roll there is no other music you remember, no major locations or set properties and costumes. If this movie has succeeded it is purely on the merit of a great story, tight screenplay and direction by Asghar Farhadi.
This lovely drama is the Iranian nominee for Best Foreign Movie at the 84th edition of the Academy Awards. I’m sure this will be one of the shortlists and one shouldn’t be surprised if A Separation eventually wins.
Most recommended, a straight Super Watch
The interesting thing about this movie is that it keeps popping questions in your mind. He shouldn't have pushed her? Isn't that wrong? Isn't Razieh a poor thing? How can she be blamed? But what she did was also wrong? Which side should I support? Do you always tell the truth? What do you tell your children. It's AMAZING what the script and the story does. So powerful. And it also breaks the normal story format. Different things are happening. And things are going wrong. It's going all over the place. Yet you are engaged in the story.
ReplyDeleteAnd like you said, everything and everyone looks real. Nowhere can you believe that they are actors. Only Iranian directors and cinematographers can do this. You don't think of the camera. You dont think - "it's a great shot", "wow that background score is amazing - i have to download it right away". Instead you are engrossed in the story. AMMAAZING:-)
@Sajan: Can't agree more !! AMAZING is the word...
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