MELBOURNE

Iran, 2014, 91 minutes, Colour.
Roshanak Gerami, Mani Haghighi.
Directed by Nima Javidi.

While Melbourne is the title, none of the action takes place in Melbourne or even in Australia. This is an Iranian film, taking place in Tehran over one day. The central couple are packing, about to leave Iran for Melbourne, which is something of a destination and dream, where they will study.

They have been leasing an apartment and are leaving it, with visits by furniture removalists, the owner of the building inspecting it, neighbours. A nanny leaves a baby with them but does not return for several hours. The husband makes a terrible discovery, that the baby does not wake up when there is loud noise – the baby is dead. At first he calls an ambulance, but then panics and decides to maintain a deception. He also blames his wife for taking the baby in, she reacting badly to him. When they settle down, and Google about the baby’s death and discover that the child has died of cot death and that they have laid it on its stomach so as not to roll off the bed, not given it milk and it could have been disturbed by the husband smoking, they maintain the deception with the father, that the wife is out walking with the baby, also with the nanny who does eventually return.

The film has a great deal of emotional tension, the audience wondering how they will handle the situation, perhaps placing themselves in a similar situation in trying to decide what is the best to do.

Ultimately, they find a solution, leaving the baby behind with a neighbour but not revealing that the baby is dead – and in the taxi, as the final credits begin, we hear sobbing.

1. The title? The destination rather than the city itself? A destination of hope?

2. Tehran and setting, exteriors, the city itself, apartments, the focus on interiors and the detail? The musical score?

3. The action mainly confined to the apartment and interiors?

4. The woman taking the census, the accident on the steps, the little boy, knocking on the doors, introduction to the couple?

5. The situation, the couple, Amir and Sarah? Planning to go to Australia, to Melbourne for three years, to study? Their lease on the apartment, packing, the pawn man coming to take the furniture, his arrival, the men, taking everything, the inspector coming to examine, his praise of the couple? The family visits? Skype to Melbourne? Their characters?

6. Taking the baby, the Nanny leaving the baby, the trouble with the father, the mother not seeing the baby for a fortnight, the clash with the father? Sarah and her wanting to help?

7. The sister, talk, the photos, later looking at the photos to see whether the baby was alive?

8. The noise, the baby not responding, discovered dead, Amir and his reaction, Sarah, upset, blaming Amir? His blaming her for taking the baby from the nanny? The internet, the discovery about SIDS, the issue of not giving the milk, laying the baby on its stomach, the smoke and its effect?

9. The father, his arrival, not wanting to come in, his concern, his phone calls, clash with the wife, the arrest?

10. The nanny, going to buy medicine, leaving the baby alive, the suspicions of the couple, leaving her phone, waiting for her, turning up, her waiting, having to leave? The story of the Sarah taking the baby for a walk?

11. The range of phones, the frequent calls, the doorbell?

12. The mother, her concern, the sister waiting in the car? The mother and her not wanting them to go to Australia?

13. The neighbour, her kindness, bringing the food?

14. Amir and the compounding of the lies, the decision to go, fears, calling the ambulance, sending it away, the father, the nanny, the compounding of the situation? Blame and upset? The little boy, his searching the room, discovering the baby? Amir with the toys?

15. The final decision, entrusting the baby to the neighbour, in the taxi, upset, the sound of weeping?

16. The audience supplying a final ending?