A Separation – Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (2011)

Directed by: Asghar Farhadi | 123 minutes | drama | Actors: Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat, Shahab Hosseini, Sarina Farhadi, Babak Karimi, Kimia Hosseini, Ali-Asghar Shahbazi, Shirin Yazdanbakhsh

Love is universal. So are conflicts. For those who didn’t know yet, a visit to the Iranian film ‘A Separation’ (‘Jodaeiye Nader az Simin’) is worthwhile. In this drama by acclaimed director Asghar Farhadi, a relatively minor conflict develops into a legal battle between two families. A showdown of which the children are the biggest victims.

The beautiful opening scene immediately sets the tone. A man and a woman tell a judge – and because we’re looking from the judge’s perspective, directly to us – why they should or shouldn’t divorce. It is too late for mediation, there is hardly any response to each other’s comments, except by an annoyed look and a repetition of one’s own arguments. The gulf between these two former lovers is exemplary of the gulf between man and fellow man. A distance that only becomes clearly visible in times of conflict. A distance that is further increased by the half-truths and whole lies that those involved in the conflict use to keep their heads above water.

It produces a timeless drama to which, if you feel like it, you can easily add a political or social dimension. Conflicts between countries or social classes, the flame that explodes if a conflict is not extinguished quickly enough, the children as the first victims in a war.

For those who do not need this dimension, a penetrating human drama remains, in which it is difficult to choose sides: partly because the viewer also does not know what is true and what is not, partly because the characters are real people with good and bad traits. Contributing to this is the great acting, especially from Leila Hatami as the strong-willed Simin. The actor prize that the ensemble received during the Berlinale 2011 is therefore no surprise.

‘A Separation’ is just not a masterpiece. The middle part is a bit too tight for that. Arguments are repeated and repeated, causing the viewer’s attention to slacken slightly. Needless to say, this film is highly recommended. If only because of the surprising twists in the story. Or because of the nuances in the script. Or because of that last eye contact between the two daughters from the quarreling families. It really goes to the marrow and bone.