On a Friday Afternoon – Asr e-Jome (2006)

Directed by: Mona Zandi Haqiqi | 81 minutes | drama | Actors: Roya Nonahali, Hanie Tavassoli, Mehrdad Sediqian, Ramin Rastad

Women’s rights are virtually nil in strict Islamic countries such as Afghanistan and Iran. For example, when a woman in rural Iran becomes unmarried or unintentionally pregnant, it is a shame. Often it is the men who could not contain themselves, but the women are the victims. They are blamed. The woman is cornered by her environment. While abortion can be a welcome solution in the West, it is absolutely out of the question in countries with an Islamic culture. There is often no other option for them to start again elsewhere, alone with their child. They make up all kinds of stories to explain their situation. Their husband is abroad on business or died years ago, for example. Debuting filmmaker Mona Zandi Haqiqi seized upon the theme of unwanted pregnancies for her poignant film ‘On a Friday Afternoon’.

At the beginning of ‘On a Friday Afternoon’ (2006) – which was originally titled ‘Asr e-Jome’ – a young woman with a baby in her arms leaves a prison. Fifteen years later, Sogand (Roya Nonahali) works as a beautician in her home practice and the baby has grown into Omid (Mehrdad Sedighian), a sullen teenager with a shaved head. He skips school and steals money from his mother’s wallet. One day, Sogand is visited by her younger sister Banafsheh (Haniyeh Tavasoli), who is studying in Tehran and comes to tell her that their father is dying. She hopes to persuade her sister, who ran away from home after an argument with her father fifteen years ago, to go to their hometown to say goodbye. Sogand doesn’t mind at first; too much has happened. Things she has never been able and willing to share with Omid. However, when the boy finds out that he has been lied to all his life, he completely freaks out.

Mona Zandi Haqiqi started her career as an assistant to director Rakshan Bani-Etemad when he made ‘Our Times’. ‘On a Friday Afternoon’ is her directorial debut, joining the ranks of creative young Iranian women trying to make it as a filmmaker. Zandi made a grim film about an unmarried mother who is forced to play open cards with her recalcitrant teenage son. The two whimsical, foul-mouthed main characters are lifelike and are effectively supported by the realistic low-class settings previously seen in Bani-Etemad’s innovative dramas ‘Under the City’s Skin’ and ‘Nargess’, only here they are only in context. . ‘On a Friday Afternoon’ is a film that is completely propelled by the characters. The environment creates a social context for Zandi’s obvious interest in camera work and film aesthetics.

The acting is astonishing. The young Mehrdad Sedighian convinces as the boy who grew up without a father, teetering on the brink of juvenile delinquency. Beneath his tough exterior lurks a boy who is more vulnerable than he looks. In the complex final scenes, he appears surprisingly mature. Roya Nonahali shows in her portrayal of Sogand, who is averse to glamour, that she is a survivor. She’s toughened up because of the circumstances, but she still bursts into tears when she thinks about her childhood. She is also able to summon an inner strength that her younger sister, who has it all much better together, lacks. Haniyeh Tavasoli has the thankless task of playing the less marked sister. Her character steps up to play the patient, friendly negotiator between the various family members, putting a more conventional spin on the story.

The story of the poor unmarried mother is centuries old, but director Mona Zandi and cinematographer Hossein Jafarian have found a new, compelling way to tell it. Many important things take place outside the viewer’s field of view and some dialogues are spoken off screen. Nuanced lighting and subtle camera movements are used, which create the right mood. The image compositions are beautiful and thanks to the razor-sharp editing by Sepideh Abdolvahab, the film does not last longer than necessary at 81 minutes. ‘On a Friday Afternoon’ is an absolute must for lovers of intense drama with a raw edge.