Circumstance (2011)

Directed by: Maryam Keshavarz | 103 minutes | drama | Actors: Nikohl Boosheri, Sarah Kazemy, Reza Sixo Safai, Soheil Parsa, Nasrin Pakkho, Sina Amedson, Keon Mohajeri

Atefeh and Shireen are two friends living in Tehran who are starting to feel more and more for each other, a love that is of course still not accepted in Iran. Initially, this blossoming sexuality creates an even closer bond between the two teenagers, but when Mehran, Atefeh’s brother, falls in love with Shireen, it starts a downward spiral. Mehran is a devout Muslim and has a very different view of how women should behave than the rest of Atefeh’s family.

‘Circumstance’ by the female director Maryam Keshavarz has been quite critical of Iranian policy. It is an Iranian film in which real attention is paid to the difficult situation in which Iranian women find themselves. On the other hand, we see that Iranian family life is actually not that different from ours. In ‘Circumstance’ we see an Iran that we hardly know. The story is set in the capital Tehran: big parties are held, people experiment with drugs and the burgeoning sexuality of Iranian women is shown.

‘Circumstance’ is above all a wonderfully sensual film about the friendship and love between two girlfriends. The great thing about the film is the turnaround in the atmosphere. One moment everything is fine and ‘Circumstance’ is a typical coming of age movie in which the two girls discover their love for each other. The next moment you almost physically feel the oppression of Iranian society. The control of women is present in a particularly intense form.

This is all beautifully presented. The sensuality drips from the camera images: a hand that discovers the body of one of the actresses while feeling, or a lingering shot in which a kiss is tenderly exchanged. In combination with the wonderful soundtrack of sometimes traditional Arabic music in the living room and then more contemporary Arabic pop in a disco, these images provide pure viewing pleasure.

The family relationships are one of the main lines in ‘Circumstance’ and these are portrayed very strongly. This is mainly due to the excellent playing of Nikol Boosheri (Atefeh), Sarah Kazemy (Shireen) and Soheil Parsa, who plays Atefeh’s father Firouz. At a number of moments the difference between a Western and Arab family becomes painfully clear. For example, a day at the sea ends in a swim by the men and the women remain clothed on the beach. The difference lies in the circumstances in which we find ourselves….

As the film progresses, the control over the women and the strict form of religion get more and more the upper hand and the film takes on a more sinister charge. Of course, ‘Circumstance’ is mainly a complaint against the Iranian regime, but not in a way that you are opposed to it. ‘Circumstance’ is subtle, seductive and confrontational.