I saw this last night at the Auckland Film Festival and have to say it is probably the finest film I've seen this year. It starts incredibly strongly then just keeps cranking up the tension and conflict. The characters are beautifully layered, complex and fascinating and the director manages to maintain empathy for all of them until the final frame, simply not allowing us to 'take sides' - which is what the couple's daughter is being asked to do. I hope this film gets wide distribution (particularly into the U.S.) as its insight into modern Iranian family life (albeit a privileged one) might help to erase the convenient misconception that 'they' are not like 'us'.
Review of A Separation
