MovieChat Forums > Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (2011) Discussion > This is Iran?

This is Iran?

posted 12 years ago by ConDeuce
72 replies | jump to latest

Can anyone familiar with Iran tell me that this film depicts life there realistically? I certainly hope so.

I just finished watching "A Separation" a few days ago. It's an intense character study and extremely well acted and directed. What struck me more than anything else about it (and was a bit distracting) was how it presented the Iranian culture that differs so much from what most Americans (including me) perceive Iranian culture to be like. The casting of Leila Hatami certainly helped a lot because she looks very European/American but it was more the father's interaction with his daughter that struck me most. He was kind, supportive and fun with her and this truly surprised me. His relationship with her was very much the kind that I have with my own daughter.

Films like "A Separation" are so important because they give us an opportunity to experience life in another country with stories that anyone can relate to. I kept thinking while watching the movie how easily the movie's plot and characters could be transported to the US. Very universal.

I have read that the Iranian "authorities" are clamping down on freedom of expression and films like this may not be made anymore. That would be a real shame. "A Separation" is a film that more Americans should watch so they could get over their misunderstanding of Iranian culture and see how similar we are.

[–] Null_Inverse 11 years ago

but it was more the father's interaction with his daughter that struck me most. He was kind, supportive and fun with her and this truly surprised me. His relationship with her was very much the kind that I have with my own daughter.

While what you say here is sad, it is completely understandable that a person might say it. Western feminism would have us believe that men are evil tyrants oppressing the women in these countries. Drive cars? What!? Not forced to cover face? Crazy wow!?! And while the movie didn't really touch upon this, there are things like mehrieh and nafaqa to ensure that if gender discrimination exists in Iran, it certainly isn't against women.

Here are a couple of good, eye-opening articles about Iran:

http://www.avoiceformen.com/gynocentrism/the-myth-of-patriarchal-oppre ssion-in-iran/
http://www.avoiceformen.com/feminism/feminist-lies-feminism/indentured -servitude-for-men-in-iran-the-myth-of-patriarchal-oppressive-divorce/

[–] chilone 11 years ago

Iranian women are HOT (a lot of 'em anyway)!!!

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

[–] Flight_of_Fantasy 11 years ago

Yes! That's one of the first things that struck me about it. Here in America, the media and society in general presents Iran as this backwards, third-world country, and Iranians as crazed religious fanatics, so it was fascinating to see how similar we are. Just proves the old saying "people are alike all over" (which I now associate with The Twilight Zone, but whatever).

Every American or Westerner should watch this movie. It might give us a better understanding of Iranians and Iran.

"He's already attracted to her. Time and monotony will do the rest."

[–] remembervhs 11 years ago

All people are the same.

The fact that Iranians live under a repressive regime does not detract from their possession of basic human qualities.

[–] Writesomething 11 years ago

What I found surprising was that such a serious criminal charge was decided by a guy who seemed to be little more than a clerk, and with no procedure at all, just a few people in a room all talking at once. To an American, that seems like a shockingly informal way to deal with criminal charges.

It was also a little bit distracting that the wife was the only person in the movie who didn't have black hair. That really stands out.

[–] amirsam2002-940-347202 10 years ago

Its funny u are supprised with how Iran is and how americans percieve the iranian culture since if you go on any chat room on the internet or watch any tourist videos of europeans or americans who have visited the country you would know that we are known to be very walm blooded, kind and hospitable people. Like thats what we are known for and as for the example you mentioned in the comment about him taking care of his father, those type of good deeds are done numeriously in our culture why because its built in our culture i.e., part of our culture so we see it unusual for someone not to act in such good ways. As i recall, in americans or europeans ive not seen the closest examples of such kind and walm blooded behaviour or culture because white people or people from the west are known to be quite cold blooded like its in their nature, whereas iranians have always been known to be walm blooded and very kind people. You talk to an iranian and u would know what i mean. So it kind of suprised me when you said u were supprised with how iran was when what you thought iran would be closely resembles how americans are based on what u said and what i've experienced in europe (mainly the UK). I havent yet been to america but from what ive been told from iran and iranian sources just like you have your american propoganda sources, its a very negative, dull and dangourous place with people freely allowed to carry guns. Now i dont know to what extent that is true but from even the british media, it seems likes its a very warmongering country.

[–] Em0411 8 years ago

***(SPOILERS)***I thought this too, it would be a great loss not to be able to see more movies like this. It was an excellent movie with amazing acting and very realistic plot developments that had me glued to the screen. I am going to watch it again for anything I might have missed, it was so carefully constructed I think every scene had great meaning to the characters and story. There was great imagery in this movie, like the last scene showing the two main characters sitting not only apart and divided but literally devided by a glass or fibreglass divider (partition) broken by the man from the other family. This scene told me this couple was never getting back together, it was very powerful, and depicted the agony of the other man at the same time, without him even being in the scene. It's important for the world to see such depictions of middle eastern religions, cultures, lifestyles, class depictions, values, and the role of women in this part of the world. Although oppressed and more oppressed within the working classes, these women still had a powerful place in their roles. They were often shown as the calmer, more reasonable ones more open to reconciliation and open dialogue in the face of feuding and anarchy. They were shown as being able to achieve things the men couldn't. The woman who lost her baby, the most oppressed woman in many ways at the mercy of her husband she often feared, was still able to change the judge's mind about her husband by showing him the medication for stress that he was on. It took great strength and will as well as quick thinking to do this. This same woman had the courage to seek work to try to help their family's financial situation completely on her own without her husband's knowledge or permission. The other woman managed to go to the other family and get them to listen to her, also on her own. The teenage daughter was given a lot of power foo because both her parents valued her opinion and wanted her to achieve great things through her education. They made a lot of decisions just with her in mind, or based on her opinion alone. All the characters were portrayed realistically and sympathetically showing dignity in the worst of situations, even the Alzheimer's afflicted father. It's so important to see more movies like this, I hope we get to.

When you get up in the morning, how do you decide what shade of black to wear? (Shallow Grave)

[–] mazardeus 8 years ago

As a Jordanian in ethnic background yet born in America, I knew the United States percieved the Middle East, as well as many aspects of other cultures manufacturing stereotypes under the Hollywoood system, inaccurately. It puts a smile on my face when Hollywood allows select few films to be shown globally like A Separation and Paradise Now (a realistic depiction of the Israel and Palestine conflict). Then, there are also select few movies that come out of the Hollywood system that displays realism in politics in the oil business: Syriana.