介绍:
Of all the films at the 84th Academy Awards, 'A Separation' by Iranian director Asghar Farhadi is perhaps the most worthy of the honor. The Best Foreign Language Film facilitates an understanding about modern day Iran better than any newspaper.
The movie begins with a divorcing middle-class couple, Nader and Simin, fighting for custody of their daughter Termeh. The mother, Simin, wishes to leave the country with her daughter, because she doesn't want her to grow up in Iran in the current circumstances. Simin does not specify the circumstances she is concerned about, but that's exactly what this film is all about.
Since the husband, Nader, refuses to leave the country and since the judge refuses to sign off on their divorce, Simin decides to push her husband by moving back with her parents. In her absence, Nader has to hire someone to take care of his sick father. Nazieh is a young woman from the poor suburb who is compelled to take on the job because her family is heavily in debt. Following a misunderstanding and a quarrel between Nader and Nazieh, the latter suffers a miscarriage, opening doors to a clash between two families and social classes.
The divide is sharply defined. Nader's middle-class family resembles a western one in almost every aspect but their appearance and language. They drive around the city and decorate their apartment like 'Metropolitan Home' magazine. But more important is their belief in female independence. Nazieh, on the contrary, is poor and religious. She is afraid to tell her husband that she works in the family of a single man, and she consults a religious hotline before she changes the old man's dirty pants. The Iranian working class remains devoted to traditional ideas about religion and gender.
Asghar Farhadi is cunning in the progressive presentation of the story. The full display of class tension begins with small hints that develop gradually, from the almost unnoticeable tone of speech to the angriest and most desperate cursing. The suspense is captivating and keeps viewers glued to their seats wondering what will happen next.
Asghar Farhadi has the utmost support from the cast. The five major characters, including Termeh who is played by the director's own daughter, carry themselves in front of the camera as if they were telling their own life stories. The movie's authenticity is further enhanced by cinematographer Mahmud Kalari and his skills with a handheld camera.
The movie also provides a good comparison with Chinese movie 'the Flowers of War.' Zhang Yimou, director of this 94 million dollar war film, had high hopes for the Foreign Language Film Award, but his deliberate attempt to tug the viewers' heartstrings was not as effective as Asghar Farhadi's casual and neutral narrative in his 800,000 dollar product.
'A Separation' is a sincere exploration on the social issues in modern Iran. By not taking sides the director is able to go deeper into the heart of the problems while at the same time surviving the strict censorship policies. On a scale from one to ten, I give it a nine.
大家还在听
