The Middle Eastern - Iranian - Arabic week, 1. a rough diamond: A SEPARATION by Asghar FARHADI

Wherever I go, wherever I am I try to share a good movie with people I meet.

As for books, it is pretty true that you can discover someone by movies he watches.

Movies are an open door on the world, you can discover a new culture, a new country...despite being at home or dans les salles obscures. It is my really precious way to travel when I have no money or time to do it for real.

I've always been fascinating by directors, by directors who take risk to show us something different, who go out the beaten paths. Unfortunately, the huge cinema industry is not leaving them the freedom to do it. This is a shame as they are the highlights of the seventh art. At least, they are my highlights.

This week, I decided to talk about few persian and arabic movies.

Let's start with the Iranian gem of Asghar FARHADI: A SEPARATION.

This movie starts with a shot on two people. A couple...or just two people. Actually, they were one, they are going to learn to be two again.
They are in the judge office. This is time to divorce. Apparently, it seems like an easy one...but the reality is far beyond what we can see.

Here lays the talent of Asghar FARHADI. He doesn't judge, he doesn't give you easy answers but he raises a lot of questions.

This movie is between the movie and the documentary. He introduces us to the Iranian life, to people torn between modernity and tradition.
He broaches universal issues: how to deal with our erderlies, how to survive a separation, a weakness, a vicious spiral of lies.

When you watch a movie, you sometimes have the feeling that some actors don't fit properly the character they are supposed to play.
In A SEPARATION, Asghar FARHADI found his actors, they are the soul of the movie and they do it well. Distinction for the little kiddo, the little girl of the movie, you can feel she is lost in the mad world where adults live, you can feel her sadness, her joy.

Asghar FARHADI style is definitely uncluttured, pure, rough. It is never easy, you will feel uncomfortable many times and hours after watching this movie you will think about it.

Loved it, try THE PAST or ABOUT ELLY !