Asghar Farhadi’s acclaimed film A Separation won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012, but it is an exquisite story that transcends borders with the universal moral struggles and choices the characters face, while being firmly rooted in a specific set of Iranian customs, law and mores. This middle-class drama, and Farhadi himself as a director, represent a fine entry in the longstanding tradition of excellent Iranian cinema, which has consistently shown the ability to take something ordinary and turn it into a unique piece of cinema.
A Separation is about a family of three: husband Nader (Eric Bana doppledanger Paymen Maadi), wife Simin (the beautiful Leila Hatami), and their somewhat mousy but sincere teenage daughter Termeh (Serena Farhadi). Simin wants the family to leave Iran in search for a better life, but Nader refuses to leave his elderly father, who is sick, has dementia, and is unable to travel. Not surprisingly, the daughter is left bearing the brunt of the consequences, and this disagreement between her parents serves as the opening scene of the film and the inciting incident for everything else that happens in the movie.
But what starts off as a Kramer vs. Kramer type of divorce story becomes so much more. Marriage in Iran is governed by Islamic law, and divorce is a much more complicated proposition than it would be in America. The consequences of this ever-growing conflict, and the increasing unwillingness of either party to give in, begin to topple like dominoes. Nader struggles to do the things his wife used to, including and especially taking care of his father. There is a scene with his father quietly calling for Simin that is just one heartbreaking moment out of many.
A Separation is an unmistakably Iranian film, not just in its somberness and exquisite acting (especially the child actors – there must be something in the water over there) but the way it touches on religion, divorce/legal customs, and familial and socioeconomic relationships. It is also a commentary on the legalism of Iran, a country trying to live as a society under Islamic law, and revealing the complexities that aren’t captured in the letter of the law. There is a judge who tries to be fair-minded in evaluating the facts, but he is bound by the law as well. The audience, without those same restrictions, essentially becomes a stand-in for the judge. It is an exploration of empathy.
There is no clear right and wrong here. Everyone, from the husband and wife, has a legitimate position and certainly good intentions. This extends later on to the caretaker Razieh as she gets involved as well. The problem is, in a highly legalistic society, your intentions may not matter. A Separation is essentially a legal drama (even if there are no lawyers and the courtroom scenes are unlike anything I’ve ever seen). But most legal dramas or detective stories take us through the events by presenting the facts post hoc, because the sense of uncovering and revealing evidence after the fact is innately dramatic. What Fardhadi does here is the complete opposite – he sticks to the perspective of those actually involved, and we see everything as it happens.
This is how fights and disputes happen in real life: something happens very quickly and then the arguments arise over what exactly happened, what the intentions were, and who knew what, and all of a sudden everything that previously happened in the film is relevant. There is just enough vagueness to have a credible argument for both sides, and one critical event that is not actually seen by the audience drops like a bombshell later on – indeed, both sides withhold critical information from us. The whole sequence of legal events is a riveting and central part of the film, but there is the added layer of what this means for Nader and Simin. It is genius storytelling, even if it’s unconventional by western standards.
Even if we can empathize with all the various sides, the most sympathy is reserved for Termeh. She is forced to act as the moral compass for her parents, and she always assumes that the truth is not negotiable. Her parents are the ones constantly trying to manipulate her, pressure her, guilt her, and put her in impossible situations. This comes to a head in an absolutely brutal and emotional ending.
A Separation is a masterclass in storytelling, directing, and acting. Even the supporting characters are perfectly cast and wholly lived in, from the wide eyed, fearful and scrupulous Razieh, to her hot tempered and desperate husband Hojjat, and their young innocent daughter Somayeh. It is also incredibly bold. Farhadi had no government support in making this film and was even for a period of time banned from making this by the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Once in a while, a movie comes along that reminds us of the power of art. A Separation is one of the few films over the last decade with that ability.
