NADER AND SIMIN, A SEPARATION

Iran, 2011, 123 minutes, Colour
Lila Hatami, Peyman Moadi.
Directed by Azghar Farhadi.

Winner of the Golden Bear, Berlin 2011, and winner of the Ecumenical Award. Iranian cinema at its best.

Iranian films have a strong tradition of showing children’s issues and this film has a substantial amount of this. But, it is a drama that focuses on adults, their qualities and flaws, their planned and unplanned behaviour and the consequences they never imagined.

Tehran has an affluent middle class as well as a working class who see the wealthy people as privileged, as ‘royalty’, and as benefitting from life and they law in ways the poor could never expect.

The film opens and closes with Nader and Simin arguing their case before a judge. She wants a divorce, to have custody of her 11 year old daughter and to leave the country for a better life. He does not want a divorce, does not want to leave Iran and is dedicated to caring for his father who suffers from Alzheimers. At the end, they are back before the judge, but their daughter has to make a decision as to which parent she wishes to live with.

In the meantime, a broader drama, a drama of ethical arguments and more behaviour and decisions is played out with quite some complexity. In itself it is rather simple issue. Nader is upset with Rasieh, a poorer middle-aged woman who does the housework. A sum of money is missing and Nader believes Rasieh took it. Rasieh also goes to visit a gynocologist and binds Nader’s father to his bed, but the restless father falls to the floor. The angry Nader ousts Rasieh, shoving her out along with her little daughter. Rasieh has a miscarriage and her unemployed, hot-tempered husband sues. The charge is murder.

The complications are very interesting indeed and mean that each character, even the children, is faced with telling the truth or lying. The final resolution revolves around religious principle and honesty as Rasieh is asked to testify on the Quran.

This is a fine production in every aspect – the ensemble of the cast winning the acting awards in Berlin as well.

1. Iranian films and their quality? Local issues, universal issues, characters and situations?

2. The film as focused: the narrowcast of apartments, courts, school, the streets? Realism? Musical score?

3. The beginning and end of the film with the divorce proceedings: the opening, the long take, Nader and Simin facing the camera, their explanations, arguments? Revelation of characters? The finale, Ternah and her facing the judge, making her decision, wanting her parents out of the room, the parents waiting outside, the final credits? Open end – satisfyingly?

4. The emotional and intelligent response to the characters, the different sides of their characters, pros and cons, shifts in stances? Getting to know them better, the gradual revelations, qualities and flaws, circumstances and consequences? The moral issues for all of the central characters? For the audience?

5. The separation, Simin and her wanting to go abroad, the visas during the credits? Her reasons for going, not having reasons? Nader and his attitudes, his relationship with his wife, daughter, fourteen years? Looking after his father? Honourable? Simin leaving, telling the stories to the father, her luggage, going to her parents? Perhaps hoping that all would work out well?

6. Nader and his work, his fathering Ternah, his concern about her, his father, Alzheimer’s, minding him, his father’s behaviour, Nader dedicated to his father?

7. The suggestion to employ Razieh? Bringing her daughter, the long commute, her indecision, her pregnancy, nervous? The hard work, cleaning the house, taking out the garbage, the daughter spilling it on the steps? The father and his wetting himself, cleaning him? The end of the day and the hard work? Talking with Nader, wanting her husband to take the job? Her husband not coming, her working again? The father missing, search for him in the street, going out to the doctor, tying the father to the bed, his fall? Ternah and her liking Razieh, her playing with her little daughter? Nader and Ternah playing the game with the father? The drawings of the little girl and their later use? The tutor’s visit, giving the phone number of the gynaecologist? The later use of this information?

8. The portrait of Simin, married for fourteen years, her style, western, affluent, stylish? The separation, the initial plea before the judge for the divorce, her urgency, concern about her daughter, wanting to leave the country, better life for her daughter, her angers, her attitude towards her husband, wanting her daughter to be with her? His choice and his saying that she could be free? Packing, leaving, going to stay with her mother? Her mother and her interest in Nader, her granddaughter, her help? The issue of the case, believing Nader or not, thinking that he was guilty? Her visits, concern, talking with her daughter, the possibilities for reconciliation? The bail money, offering to sell her car, visiting Razieh and the discussion about the money? The meeting, Razieh not wishing to swear on the Koran, her apprehensiveness? The end, the final plea before the judge, waiting for her daughter’s decision?

9. Nader in himself, bank man, dogged, the fourteen years of marriage, change, his love for his daughter, strict, protecting her? The arguments before the judge, letting his wife go, staying for his father? Honourable about his father? His help and attention to his father, detail, washing him and care? The discussions with Razieh? With her husband at the bank? Razieh coming to work again, his surprise, finding his father on the floor and tied to the bed, his anger, the missing money, the accusations against Razieh? The mystery of the money never solved? Ousting Razieh, her continually returning to the door and imploring him, his pushing her out, sitting on the stairs, knowing whether she was pregnant or not? The tutor and the phone number? His hearing from the kitchen?

10. The prosecution, the murder charge? His denying it? The arguments, the husband being abusive, before the judge, the arguments and shouting? His daughter’s role, his wife and the bail? His mother-in-law taking in his father and caring for him? The prison, the bail? The tutor, urging her to tell the truth? His discussions with his daughter, her not believing him, the issue of the phone number and his knowing it, the pressure on his daughter, the arguments? His worry about his father, not speaking after the episode? Not wanting to pay the money, the deal, the meeting, the doubts? The tests on the steps and the door, the witnesses?

11. The husband, the interview with Nader, his not going to work? The issue of the credits, his being in prison? His hot-temperedness, the impact of the miscarriage, not knowing his wife was working for Nader? His hostility to the upper classes, calling them royalty? His charges, the arguments before the judge, his angers and his being ousted? Pressures on his wife? His bigotry as regards the truth, the tutor and the other witnesses? The test on the steps? His going to the school, his insulting the daughter in front of her friends, stalking the tutor, the driving and abusing her from the car? Wanting his wife to swear on the Koran, her refusal?

12. Razieh and her background, poverty, the arguments of the case, her concern, her love for her daughter, trying to protect her? Going to the doctor, tying up the old man? The aftermath of his wandering, her being hit by the taxi, in pain that night, the possibility that the miscarriage had occurred? Her religious scruple, her phone call about helping the father after soiling himself? Her scruple and her not being able to swear on the Koran?

13. The daughter, her study, parents, wanting them to be together, playing with the little girl, believing her father or not, the issue of the phone number, the interview, her answers, not telling the truth? The effect on her?

14. Razieh’s little girl, playing, drawing her parents fighting, the tutor and the questions afterwards? Her hostile looks? Putting responsibility on her?

15. The tutor, her work with the daughter, at school, the threats of the husband, her giving evidence, her change of evidence?

16. The role of the judge, listening, his decisiveness, impartiality, application of the law?

17. The finale, the daughter and her speaking to the judge, having made her decision, wanting her parents to wait outside?

18. The open ending, audience opinion as whether she went with the father, with the mother, and the criteria for her choice?