A Separation is the first Iranian film to win an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars. In fact, it’s the first Iranian film to win many of the awards it has taken home. It’s well deserved, too: with this movie, writer/director Asghar Farhadi is credited for making the most realistic depiction of religion in Iran to ever hit the big screen.
Nader (Peyman Moadi) and his wife Simin (Leila Hatami) separate after Nader decides not to move abroad with Simin to better their daughter’s future. He wants to stay and take care of his ailing father; a sequence of cataclysmic events begins when Nader hires Razieh (Sareh Bayat) to care for his dad so he can continue working.
Even without understanding the religion, it’s easy to sympathize for the characters: the traditions make it difficult for them to reason with one another.
The common ground between our cultures is Nader’s Alzheimer’s-ridden father and Razieh’s adorable young daughter, Somayeh (Kimia Hosseini), who adds innocence and honesty to the film.
Another notable mention is Farhadi’s daughter, Sarina Farhadi, who plays Nader and Simin’s 11-year-old daughter. It’s her first role, and she handles it excellently.
The struggle between truth and fabrication depicted in A Separation is powerful and heartbreaking. If you’re interested in other cultures, then this is a great movie to watch.
A Separation opens March 9.