Asghar Farhadi: A Separation

Asghar Farhadi is an Iranian film maker. I recently came across his films on IMDb and decided to watch them. The film A Separation won the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. The film is based on the themes of realistic mystery, religion, moral dilemma and psychological conflict. It presents a picture of familial relationships and the structure of Iranian society. Here is my impression of the film:

A Separation is an Iranian film written and directed by Asghar Farhadi which explores the complexities of human relationships and the strings that bind them together. It is an intense representation of moral dilemma and internal conflict. The films presents a seemingly simple story of a couple, Nader and Simin who are divided on their opinions pertaining to their daughter’s future. Simin wants to move out of Iran to provide better opportunities to her daughter while Nader does not wish to leave home in order to care for his old father suffering from Alzheimer’s. The parent-child bond is deeply rooted in the film. Simin wants to fulfil her responsibility as a mother and thereby provide better for her daughter. Nader too seeks to be a dutiful and loving son and cares for his father despite his father having forgotten him. Simin moves to her mother’s house because of which Nader hires a nurse, Razeih to care for him in his absence. The consequences of this are farfetched and significantly impact decisions and feelings of all the characters. The psychological complexity of each character is visible in every scene. 

The most affected by the adult conflict and misunderstandings are the children. Termeh, Nader and Simin’s daughter is only eleven years old but she shows maturity that is much beyond her age. Her level-headedness and spontaneity are in fact not seen in the adults. Nader’s father though ceases to recognize his family, his emotional attachment with them is evident. Particularly when he responds differently to Razeih compared to Simin. Razeih’s daughter, Somayeh too is caught in the web of conflict between the adults. The innocent children are affected emotionally because of the situations that they witness. 

The plot is intensified when the institution of law is introduced. What is legally considered right or wrong and what is morally considered right or wrong is different for each character who tries to stay true to their conscience but are invariably forced to go against it. The rightness or wrongness of an act is also determined by religion which is depicted when Razeih refuses to swear on the Quran despite her statements in the court. Though seeking a divorce, Simin does not cease to help Nader in the tough situations that he finds himself in. Amidst all the tension and accusations among Nader and Razeih, Termeh and Somayeh bond due to their shared experiences. The children feel the gravity of the situation though they are never told about it. Both witness the strained relationships between their parents respectively and find solace in each other’s company. The origin of the conflict being Termeh’s parents wanting different things for her ends with Termeh being the decision maker of her own life. 


More about the filmmaker and his body of work:

Asghar Farhadi by Kodhai Narayanan on Scribd

A Separation with English subtitles:

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