A Separation

Farhadi is such an excellent screenwriter. A Separation is one of the greatest screenplays of all time, and arguably my favorite of the century. I love how nuanced and layered the story and characters are. You never know how to feel about everything because there really is no easy answer to problems in life. People make decisions every single day, some of which will be a mistake or go against our own best interests. Some things in life are out of our control, but we still have agency and a responsibility to ourselves and the people in our lives. My opinion is that most of Iranian cinema post revolution is critical of societal life in Iran. Two things add to this argument. For one, you have Termeh who must choose between her father and her mother. She is forced to make a decision about her future far too young. It is the responsibility of society to protect our children, but Iranian cinema has always been hugely focused on children’s mistreatment. Children in Iran are forced to grow up much faster because there is no place for a proper childhood. Secondly, the film is definitely critical of the justice system. Iranian courts seem to lack the ability for nuance because of their disorganized structure. There is no presumption of innocence, no public defense attorneys, no promise of a trial or jury, and no guarantee of equality for all persons involved. That complexity and nuance is what makes A Separation timeless. It is as much a story about the nature of people as it is about the nature of Iranian society.