A SEPARATION (Iran 2011) ****
Directed by Asgha Farhadi

A SEPARATION is a drama about a husband and wife separation but it plays more like a thriller whodunit. 

Compelling from start to finish with hardly a dull moment the film deservedly won five awards at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival (Golden Bear for best film, Silver Bears for the actress and actor ensembles, the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, and the “Berliner Morgenpost” Readers’ Jury prize).  The film is also the runner up for the Cadillac People’s Choice award at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Director Asgha Farhadi’s film plays like a film from the famous Dardenne Brothers (THE KID WITH A BIKE, LE FILS, THE PROMISE, ROSETTA, LORNE’S SILENCE).  Lots of close-ups and the camera follow closely behind the characters as they move around.  The story is also contemporary, dealing with real human drama and social problems that are familiar to everyone. 

In A SEPARATION, the film begins with a close up of a couple arguing their case for divorce in front of a tired judge who has more urgent matters on his mind.  Simin (Lelila Hatami, looking so much like Ingrid Bergman) wants to emigrate but husband Nader (Peyman Moaadi) refuses as he has his filial duty to care for his father suffering from Alzheimer’s.  They separate and Nader hires a maid (Sareh Bayat), recommended by Simin to look after his father. Their daughter in the meantime does everything to try to bring her parents together.  The story contains many layers which captures the interest of the audience.  And there is a more!  The maid ties up the father to run an errand.  Nader returns to find the father has fallen, and when the maid returns he fires her and pushes her out of the house.  Nader gets served with the crime of pushing her down the stairs causing a miscarriage.  The maid’s crazy husband demands revenge and compensation.

A SEPARATION is not a film about bad people but about unfortunate circumstances that occur in real life.  The father’s Alzheimer’s, the miscarriage, a couple’s quarrel, loss of a job are uncontrollable incidents.  The characters cope with these events the best they can, and sometimes they get out of control.  But director Farad also infuses the good in his characters.  Though Nader is in disagreement with his wife and angry at the maid, there is controlled anger.  He does not beat up either woman.  He also pleads with the judge not to arrest the maid’s husband out of his good heart despite the harm he could do to his family.  The film also brilliantly ties in Iranian culture, religion and social mores into the story.

The film succeeds in looking at different points of view like Nader’s, the maid’s Simon’s the daughter’s without losing the strong narrative.  The result is an extremely compelling and satisfying film that will move if not jolt the audience out of their seats.