A Separation (2011) dir. Asghar Farhadi
Venue: Harrie Massey LT
Nader and Simin argue about living abroad. Simin prefers to live abroad to provide better opportunities for their only daughter, Termeh. However, Nader refuses to go because he thinks he must stay in Iran and take care of his father, who suffers from Alzheimers. However, Simin is determined to get a divorce and leave the country with her daughter.
When analysing Asghar Farhadi’s drama, A Separation, and what makes it such a critical success, it is important to look beneath the surface. The central conflict is extremely compelling on its own, but it is the added subtext and complexity that make the film resonate so well with audiences. Farhadi uses the primary characters and their confrontations to commentate on Iranian culture and society. While everyone can relate to subject matter such as marriage, social class structure and basic human morality, seeing it in a context that an outside audience may be unfamiliar with gives the film an air of freshness. That is what makes A Separation so successful.
‘What is wrong is wrong, no matter who said it or where it’s written.’
Runtime: 2h3m
