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

This is Iran?

posted 11 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.

[–] Pouya-Khani 11 years ago

As an Iranian I find it pretty realistic.

By talking with people on Internet I found out that in Western countries,particularly in United States people don't know much about Iran, it's people and their culture. Other than it's political and social messages the movie can be a good start for Americans to know more about Iran.

[–] Flabrezu 11 years ago

"He was kind, supportive and fun with her and this truly surprised me."

...Really? You were surprised that a father was kind and supportive of his daughter?

[–] JW-7 11 years ago

As a non-Iranian, we do not have the nuance of language to help us interpret the character of the father. But what we see is that he never smiles, looks quite stern, and is prone to anger easily. So, yes, that he has this other side never fails to surprise. He could be harsh or abusive given his affect (psychologically speaking) but he is shown to not be. That is quite important in the context of the movie, because otherwise he would be clearly guilty as charged,

[–] PoppyTransfusion 8 years ago

But what we see is that he never smiles, looks quite stern, and is prone to anger easily. So, yes, that he has this other side never fails to surprise. He could be harsh or abusive given his affect (psychologically speaking) but he is shown to not be. That is quite important in the context of the movie, because otherwise he would be clearly guilty as charged

We never know this man before a pot boiler of a situation; his wife is leaving him, his father has Alzheimer's and it gets worse as soon as the wife leaves. These are really stressful conditions under which to be living. A person in such a situation is going to absorbed and prone to anger.

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer

[–] foxyrabbit 8 years ago

batman never smiles either

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[–] gizmomogwai 11 years ago

I know. I never realized how much Iranians are just like us until I saw A Separation and About Elly.

[–] djxb-1 8 years ago

"Us"?

People from all around the world, including Iran, are here talking about movies. "We" are not Americans, we're everyone.

[–] Twizzler_11 11 years ago

I think 2:10 will stand to answer your question - I think that was a main purpose of the filmmakers and those involved. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOEUgGqTQWg

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] Yellowman88 11 years ago

There are a lot of north korean documentaries and accounts of escapees.

[–] s-tanha81 11 years ago

YES! undoubtedly it`s a copy of Iranian life and this movie is very close to our life that live in Iran their home their relationship everything

[–] ConDeuce 11 years ago

It would be an interesting experiment to get film makers from other countries do their impressions of America/Western Europe. We'd get a whole new perspective on how other cultures view the US. If Americans view Iranians as rabid, crazed jihadists (sorry but a lot do. See "Argo"), then it might be an eye opener to see how they view us. Two can play at that game.

[–] elessar538 11 years ago

That's exactly the reason why I haven't watched Argo yet. I knew right away when I read what it's about that it would be a movie biased against Iran and Iranians. I tend to avoid movies like that since it just angers me. It's far from what it's like in actual Iran.

[–] ConDeuce 11 years ago

It was embarrassing to watch the depiction of Iranians in "Argo" especially after seeing "A Separation". And to think the Academy gave the award for Best Foreign film to "A Separation" just last year. It would have been really ironic (and weird) had it been awarded this year.

I understand that the true story of "Argo" is still fascinating without the highly melodramatic moments that Affleck and Co. added but it would have been a more cerebral film and not the audience pleaser that it is.

[–] EhsanCoLtd 11 years ago

As an Iranian I can tell you that Argo does depict Iran some 35 years ago, where a portion of people were in fact so angry about everything that had happened to their country. Also it was the time of revolution and not many revolutions are peaceful. That was a time for "passion" and when you combine that with like 1 million nut jobs - not just here, anywhere - you get that crazy stuff.

So Argo did in fact show some truth about our revolution. There were public hangings. The "komite" did in fact act like depicted. Where there is no rule of law, that happens.

But Iran today is much different. Now the majority that were silent and subdued make up the culture, not what the regime tries to show and what the Western media are so eager to relay to their viewers. "A Separation" shows how the majority are, today.

[–] mikexx 11 years ago

The narrated "history" at the beginning of Argo is straight out of Cold War Soviet propaganda (which Islamists and Red Hollywood now pass off as their own, and the behind-the-scenes reason Argo took the best pic Oscar despite lacking any real merit for it).

Iran, like Cuba, was freer and more prosperous before the revolution than after. (There's a running gag about this in Persepolis, as the family's model of car gets crummier and crummier as the years roll by.)

[–] CaptainMazda 10 years ago

There was nothing free or prosperous about the Shah's secret police dragging people away and executing them, but he was put in power so the terrorist states of America and Brits could control oil interests. Of course, that's not the version that your TV shows advertise for you and the rest of your backwards-breeding third-world *beep*

Put your pants back on and get up, I'm done.

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[–] adamsmo 11 years ago

It was embarrassing to watch the depiction of Iranians in "Argo" especially after seeing "A Separation".

What? The setting of "Argo" was during the Islamic Revolution. It was not necessarily unrealistic in its portrayal of Iran at the time, at least the political climate, tension, general attitudes, etc.

[–] hentai_one 11 years ago

Except Fox News, other media have showed pictures taken in Iran quite a lot. People there dress almost the same as in other Western countries. Women tend to wear burkas and whatnot, but Iran isn't as harsh with it than Saudi Arabia or Quatar for example.

It's politics that give the impression to people.

[–] jamalu 11 years ago

As I was reading the opening of this topic, I was getting ready to say "No! Our daily life is not that dark and twisted with lies and secrecy!" But when I found out that the main concern is the father and read the other replies, I decided to change my answer.

Yes, Nader is a typical Iranian father in many ways. He is a family man, he wants to keep the family together, loves his child, has a serious behavior with strangers, etc. But he is different in very small details. He doesn't want to mix his love for his daughter with domination and abuse. Instead, he tries to accepts her as a critique and teaches her to think out of the box. It is important for him to maintain the modern aspects of morality, although he fails to do so. And as a cliche, he insists to try and keep the Persian language pure. I cannot give a number but I certainly can say he belongs to a minority in Iran.

Unfortunately, I believe there is a bitter issue in this film that you can generalize about the Iranian society which is the growing fear, distrust and conflict between the social classes.

[–] ConDeuce 11 years ago

"...the growing fear, distrust and conflict between the social classes."

This is yet another issue that bridges American and Iranian (and I'm certain) other cultures: the divide between social classes. This situation exists all over the United States and is what is stalling our congress from doing things. President Obama is a liberal democrat but the House of Representatives is dominated by mostly conservative Republicans. The fear, distrust and conflict you speak of is what is causing one stalemate after another. And no one is addressing it.

A movie like "A Separation" is important because it proves the cliche that people are people no matter where they are. It's about regular, everyday people and how their lives interact with others in their world. The conflicts are driven by their own attitudes, experiences and beliefs.

Lastly I can only imagine what Iranians must think Americans are like.

[–] golta 11 years ago

"Lastly I can only imagine what Iranians must think Americans are like. "

Iranians don't have a negative view of Americans. Obviously b/c of the fact that they constantly have a peek into the American life and already know that "they're people like us". A movie like A Separation shocks most Americans as they haven't really had a peek into Iranian people's lives besides what they usually see on the news or hear from politicians. Iranians on the other hand know Americans through several other means (movies,books,immigrants' experiences,tourism,etc.).

[–] plalk-1 11 years ago

yea this is Iran and this is Egypt and this is Syria and this is most of Arab countries there are noting wired a bout it we are just human like you we care we love we dream my fried you are surprised because us country show you stereo types of Arab that make you think Arab still living in dark ages and they are just savage cruel people who hit there children and oppresses there women last movie i saw is "Argo"
your government put the idea in your head that we are sup humans so when the time come and they need to go to war the get the support from you because you don't think they are going to fight some just like you and that explain your surprise
when Hitler did what he did it because people were convinced that the Jews is different kind of people less humans and the world stood by and let him do what he did the us didn't go to war until japan attack pearl harbor and the same happened to the native Indians .
most of the middle east suffering to day because of U.S. creating and supporting brutal dictators and if you don't believe me read this book "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" it will give you some idea
Saudi Arabia the most extreme country in the middle east is the best friend country to u.s .
some one commented that the father doesn't smile that much try to be in his situation and smile .

sorry for my bad writing English isn't my first language
best regrades

[–] ConDeuce 11 years ago

plalk-1: I get your point and your English is fine. You should hear how some people in New York sound.

I wish we could get more movies like "A Separation" made. Deep down, your basic, normal person is the same no matter what country you live in. Some attitudes are likely driven by perception brought about by where one lives or lived but at heart, people want the basics: to live peacefully, to work and try and earn enough and do enough to make their lives worthwhile. For any number of reasons (though I suspect mostly economic ones) politicians create an "us versus them" mindset that creates hostilities where none should exist.

I came across this very nice collection of photos from The Atlantic about a trip to Iran:

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/03/a-trip-to-iran/100471/

Lastly, the US press has been saying that any armed conflict with Iran is a mistake because Iranians do like Americans and it would turn what good feelings there are against us. I think as long as Obama is in office, no conflict with Iran will take place.