Everyone seeks justice. But when justice is viewed by
different eyes, conflict occurs. With this conflict come pain, fears, and
doubts. In this 2011 Iranian drama film, A
Separation takes us into the lives of an Iranian middle-class couple and
the complications that their separation and an impending case bring in.
The movie is a picture of several lives. In one hand, we
have Nader and Simin, a couple who have been married for 14 years and living in
Tehran, Iran. They have an 11-year-old daughter named Termeh. Simin wants to
leave the country with her family because she does not want their daughter to
grow up in the prevailing conditions. However, Nader does not share this desire
as he wishes to stay and take care of his elderly father who suffers from Alzheimer’s
disease. When Nader decides to stay in Iran, Simin files for divorce. Yet, her
application is rejected by the judge and the family continues to live with the
diseased old man.
On the other hand, we have Razieh, a young, deeply religious
woman from a poor district. She has a hot-headed husband who is a strict
Muslim. When Nader opens hiring a caregiver for her father, Razieh applies for
the job without telling her husband. The job becomes overwhelming for Razieh,
for in a culture where there is clear demarcation between a man and a woman,
she finds it uneasy to clean a man not her husband. She sees the work very
hard, especially when she learns she is pregnant.
Soon, a pivotal event shakes this edgy harmony established
by these people. One day, upon returning to their house, Nader and Termeh is
stunned to see their elder lying unconsciously on the bedroom floor, with one
arm tied to the bed. Razieh is nowhere to be found. When she gets back, Nader
accuses her of negligence and of stealing money from his room. Razieh protests
her innocence and after a heated confrontation, Nader accidentally shoves
Razieh and she falls in the stairway on the way out of the building. She
suffers a miscarriage. And with this, a long complex case ensues….
To protect her father, Termeh comes up with a false
statement…. To protect her daughter, Simin secretly arranges a financial deal
with Razieh and her husband Hodjat…. As Razieh has been earlier hit by a car,
Nader begins to doubt whether his action caused the miscarriage and becomes
more resolute with his ideals.… In fear
of Hodjat, Razieh begins to mistrust herself and her belief…. And with this
complication, will this be a better timing for a divorce case?
0 comments:
Post a Comment