A Separation

This masterfully written and directed conversational film is composed of a series of unpredictable events that makes seemingly banal everyday situations result in drama that can ruin the lives of entire families. It is exciting, tense and emotionally draining. The filmmaking level is that of the best dramas by Woody Allen and Mike Nichols, with the story set in the more exotic environment of Iran and its culture. It is amazing to see that people whose souls and minds are imprisoned by the laws of such radical faith ultimately suffer from the same personal and family problems as anyone else in the world. And the ending is a punch in the gut. (06.04.2012)

Cool. Cool, cool, cool. It’s not bad sometimes to look at how things work in countries with different mentalities. A fantastic family-court drama that, among other things, captivates with how not a single one of the protagonists is morally spotless. I’ve no idea whether the Iranian legal system works exactly like this (in fact, my Central European prejudices led me to believe that it’s much worse), but it doesn’t matter. An entertaining and thrilling film and a great candidate for the Oscar in the foreign language category. (16.12.2011)

A fantastic screenplay that unfolds from the marital conflict of longtime partners to reveal, in a fascinating way, a rich drama about guilt, punishment and lies. Precisely filmed, edited at a cutting pace, and acted economically with a sense of miniature drawing. A textbook family drama that has no problem with phrases and literalism. A film full of vivid characters, stories and pulsating questions on which several moral positions can be taken. A free film about simple things from a country that is not free, which Czech filmmakers have been trying to make in vain for years. (08.07.2011)

It’s sad when, with so many adults around, the only person with sense is a kid. It is lucky that it’s in such a good movie. This movie is attractive and “rewarding for the Western viewer" is not just thanks to the reaction of a diametrically different culture to the breakup of a relationship, but mainly thanks to how good, surprising, engrossing and emotion provoking at every moment (and in every respect) it is throughout. Simply despite all the unhappy story, this movie enthralls; with its story, twists, authenticity, actors, details, hints, everything that is not said... Simply everything. (27.12.2011)

I admit that I am not particularly enthusiastic about the wave of Iranian films that flooded world festivals a few years ago and made many cinephiles talk about Iranian cinema with boundless admiration, so I shrugged my shoulders at several acclaimed Iranian films. Therefore, I approached the Oscar-winning film A Separation with cautious skepticism. Fortunately, it was unnecessary. A Separation is an unpretentious psychological drama that is far from the shallow production of the American mainstream. It avoids straightforward activism but subtly and incredibly effectively analyzes the system through one disintegrating family. In a European context, this film could be likened to significant films of the Polish era of moral unrest. Poverty, religious radicalism, and the women's question, not on a mass scale but under the guise of institutions, conservative traditions, and general hypocrisy, constantly simmering frustration from the authoritarian religious regime and cultural isolation (the film's protagonist is planning to emigrate and is willing to sacrifice her marriage and even risk separation from her daughter because of it). A small film with a great impact that can hit a sensitive spot with surgical precision and evoke strong emotions. Overall impression: 95%. (06.12.2012)

Iranian cinema simply deserves attention, and it's evident that since the 1990s, it has undergone some changes, showing that there's development even here. Watching the film A Separation will make you realize that the director and screenwriter in one person have an interesting sense of humor as well as a knack for a dramatic storyline. It all comes together in a sometimes absurd story that is still very realistic. (13.04.2016)