ASGHAR FARHADI: Iranian Filmmaker

Asghar Farhadi was born in 1972 in Esfahan, Iran.

Farhadi’s interest in filmmaking was sparked in his
early teens when he made his first short film at the
age of 13. Whilst in school, he actively took part in
writing, drama and cinema. He began his formal
filmmaking education in 1986 when he joined the
Iranian Young Cinema Society where he began making
8mm* and 16mm** short films. He completed his
Bachelor’s degree in Theatre from the University of
Tehran's School of Dramatic Arts. Farhadi then went
on to complete his Master’s degree in Stage Direction
and even directed television programmes such as A Tale of a City. As a teenager, Iranian
Cinema had a great impact on Farhadi’s life. He was seven years old at the time of the Iranian
revolution and at that point local cinema was one of the few sources of entertainment and
hobby. Despite Iran being at war with Iraq, several good films were produced at that point in
time. As a young boy Farhadi used to sneak out with his cousins to watch movies as the
theatre was in another city. The long journey would often lead to him missing the first half of
the film. Farhadi would create the first half of the story for himself in his head which became
a contributing factor in him becoming a filmmaker. Farhadi began his professional career in
cinema in 2001 as a co-writer of the screenplay of Low Heights, a political satire directed by
Ebrahim Hatamikia. This film gained critical and box-office success. In 2003, Farhadi made his
debut as a director with Dancing in the Dust (Raghs dar Ghobar) which gained recognition
and acclaim at the Moscow International Film Festival and Fajr Film Festival. A year later in
2004, Beautiful City (Shahr-e-Ziba) too received several awards in International Film Festivals.
His third film released in 2006, Fireworks Wednesday (Chaharshanbe Suri) received critical
acclaim and did well at International Film Festivals again.
* 8 mm film is a motion picture film format in which the film strip is eight millimeters wide.
** 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film
Farhadi’s work gained greater praise and admiration with his fourth film About Elly (Dar bāre-ye
Elly). The film follows a group of friends who take a trip to the coast of the Caspian Sea which takes
an unexpected turn. Farhadi manipulates the image of the sky and sea to suit the mood of the
characters. One year after the film was released, it was voted as the fourth greatest Iranian film
of all time by the National Society of Iranian Film Critics. Farhadi has stated that his inspiration to
make this film was an image of a man waiting on the shore in the cold for his wife’s dead body to
be washed on the ashore. All of Farhadi’s films are realistic and they reflect family life in Iranian
society. Farhadi won the Silver Bear for Best Director at 59th Berlin International Film Festival for
About Elly. The film won Best Picture at Tribeca Film Festival.

Farhadi’s career reached new heights with his film A Separation (Jodāi-e Nāder az Simin), 2011.
This film focuses on a middle class Iranian couple who are on the brink of divorce and the
complexity of the situation because of the involvement of an old father and a young daughter. The
film also throws light on the deep rooted belief system in Iranian society in terms of religion. The
film addresses psychological conflict and moral dilemmas in each character which builds up to the
resolution. Despite facing obstacles before its release, the film gained critical acclaim not only from
film critics around the world but also from the Iran Society of Film Critics. After winning a series of
awards such as the Golden Bear, Best Foreign Language Film from The Boston Society of Film
Critics, Golden Globes among many eventually winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign
Language Film of the Year. Thus, making Farhadi the first Iranian fillmaker to win an Oscar. In
addition, the actress (Sareh Bayat, Sarina Farhadi, Leila Hatami and Kimia Hosseini) and actor
(Peyman Moaadi, Shahab Hosseini, Ali-Asghar Shahbazi and Babak Karimi) ensemble of the film
won Silver Bear awards at Berlin’s International Film Festival.
 Sareh Bayat and Sarina Farhadi receiving the Silver Bear for Best Actress at
the 61st Berlin International Film Festival

The Past (French: Le Passé, Persian: Gozašte) was released in 2013 which is yet another story
revolving around family crisis. It is a French-Italian-Iranian drama film that is based on
psychological conflict and internal turmoil in a family. This film is Farhadi’s first feature outside
Iran. The plot is based on the return of Ahmad from Iran after having separated from his wife
four years ago to complete the divorce formalities. What should have made life simple for
Ahmad and Marie only complicates it further as Marie is in a relationship with another man
Samir. Marie’s daughter Lucie does not approve of their relationship which leads to conflict.
Farhadi mentions that the film was set in and shot in Paris because of the visibility of its history
and links to its past which fits in the title and theme of the film. The Past and A Separation have
the common theme of divorce, both the films are similar and also different at the same time.
Both the films have elements of mystery and uncertainty but in A Separation it is in the
immediate present and in The Past it arises as a result of a re-entry into the past. The characters
in The Past like his other films are flawed which indicates a sense of realism. The characters are
human and they cannot be labelled good or bad. The Past was nominated for the Palme d'Or at
the Cannes Film Festival. Though Farhadi lost to Abdellatif Kechiche, he won the Prize of the
Ecumenical Jury. Berenice Bejo essaying the role of Marie won the Best Actress Award at the
festival. The film was submitted by Iran to contest in the category of the Best Foreign Language
Film at the 86th Academy Awards, it did not make it to the final nominations. It was nominated
for the same category at the Golden Globes. Farhadi had to face some controversy regarding the
submission of the film since it was initially assumed that the film was French and not Iranian due
to the French production and language of the film despite the fact that the majority of those who
worked for the film were Iranian.

In 2016, Farhadi’s seventh feature The Salesman (Forushande) was released in Iran and France.
The film is inspired by the director’s background in drama and stage production. The Death of a
Salesman by Arthur Miller forms an integral part of the movie. Farhadi has said that the works of
Arthur Miller has influenced his ideas and thoughts. The protagonists Emad and Rana are artists
in a local theatre group which is currently staging productions of A Death of a Salesman. A
significant event in their life not only affects their relationship but also their performance of the
play. After completing The Past, Farhadi started working on a story set in Spain. The project was
discussed with producers and it estimated that it would take a year to bring together a team to
work on the film. This gave Farhadi time and scope to shoot a film back home in Iran.

Parallels are drawn between the play in the film and the environment of the film itself. Tehran is
similar to the New York described by Miller at the beginning of the play. Both the places are
heading rapidly towards change and are replacing the traditional with the modern. Emad and
Rana play the role of a salesman and his wife on stage and they are forced to confront a salesman
in reality in connection with their personal life. Before choosing The Death of a Salesman, Farhadi
read several plays to find one that would match his storyline. The characters in this play matched
the ones is the film. Willy Loman and his wife Linda are similar to the salesman who enters the
film in the end and his wife. The previous tenant of the flat is compared to the prostitute that
Loman sleeps with in the play. Several other details make the film remarkable. For instance, the
film that Emad shows his class is The Cow (1969) which in reality is a part of children’s textbooks
and is also based on a play itself. The crumbling buildings in the beginning of the film are symbolic
of the cracks in relationships that form later in the film.

The Salesman was critically acclaimed at the time of its release and was screened at various
International Film Festivals. The film premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival where it also
won an award for the Best Screenplay. Shahab Hosseini who played the role of Emad won the
Best Actor on the same platform. The film was the official submission of Iran for Best Foreign
Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards where it won the Oscar thus making it Asghar
Farhadi’s second Oscar award. The award was received by Anousheh Ansari as the ceremony
was not attended by Farhadi or the actors of the film owing to the temporary ban of citizens
from seven Muslim majority countries from entering the US. Anousheh Ansari read out a
statement from Farhadi while receiving the award. A part of the statement read as follows:

“ I’m sorry I’m not with you tonight. My absence is out of respect for the people in my country
and those of other six nations whom have been disrespected by the inhumane law that bans
entry of immigrants to the U.S. Dividing the world into the “us “ and “our enemies” categories
creates fear, a deceitful justification for aggression and war.”

Asghar Farhadi’s latest film Everybody Knows (Spanish: Todos lo saben) is a psychological
thriller which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 8 2018. The film was released in
Spain on 14 September 2018. The film is expected to release in the United States on 8 February
2019. The film has been considered one of Farhadi’s weaker works since it failed to fulfil the
heavy expectations placed on it. The film is centered on the disappearance of a young girl from
a small town in Spain. Farhadi’s experience with a similar theme in About Elly and the presence
of mystery in his other films increases the expectations from Everybody Knows. However, the
film has received mixed responses.
When Farhadi first began with TV shows, he focused on the stories concerning society and
connections between people which has also been a major part of his films. All his films explore
different aspects of human relationships and emotions. In About Elly the personalities of all the
characters are very realistic. The interaction between the characters, their reactions in a time of
crisis is natural and relatable. The human tendency to defend ourselves negate blame is
portrayed. When everyone is faced with a crisis, no one is able to think clearly. Each one blames
the other and all relationships are under question. A Separation again explores strained
relationships and the effect of conflict among parents impacting the life of children. Nader and
Simin seek a divorce not because they don’t love each other or care about each other anymore
but due to a difference of opinion regarding their daughter’s future. Two different aspects of
parent-child relationships are highlighted where on the one hand, Simin wants the best for her
daughter and is a concerned mother while Nader is a committed son who does not wish to betray
his father in his old age. The premise of divorce is also the base for The Past. Ahmad returns to
France after four years only to sign the divorce papers. He has no reason to be involved in his ex-
wife Marie’s life, her lover Samir’s or the life of the children who are not his own. However a
series of past events challenge the present. It is not easy to forget the past and it is equally
difficult to live in the present with the guilt of one’s past actions. All the characters have
something that pulls them back to the past of which they are unsure of but are unable to let go.
The Salesman is another example of a film based on relationships. Emad and Rana’s
understanding and peaceful relationship undergoes a change when a sexual attack on Rana
changes her life. The normally calm and supportive Emad transforms into someone seeking
revenge. The anger and driver to trace and punish the perpetrator overcomes Emad who then
fails to see Rana’s pain and trauma.

Farhadi’s films made in Iran also represent the characteristics of the Iranian society. The most
important aspect of which is the portrayal of religion. Iran is deeply rooted in its religion and
culture which is evident in the films. Religion is the strongest determinant of moral actions and
decisions. About Elly does not have any direct references to religion however elements of it are
still visible. For instance, Sepideh lies that Elly and Ahmad are newlywed in order to avoid hurting
the religious sentiments of the woman who rents them her villa. When the group is faced with a
crisis, it becomes more important to uphold the honour of the families rather than resolving the
issue. The masculine and feminine honour of a Muslim society is evident as the characters try
to mask whatever they know in order not to be blamed. A Separation depicts religion underlying
actions and thoughts of people. While taking care of the old man, Razieh notices that he has wet
his pants and is unable to clean up by himself. She attempts to call Nader and Simin to come
and help him. In the end she calls a religious hotline number to seek permission for helping and
man and confirming whether it would be considered a sin. Since she was working without her
husband’s knowledge, her little daughter assures her that she wouldn’t let her father know
about the incident. In the latter half of the movie, Razieh hesitates to swear on the Quran
because despite asserting herself with conviction in the court she is unsure about her claims.
Her belief in her religion does not allow her to lie. The contrast between Simin and Razieh also
depicts the role that religion plays in their lives. Simin is not deeply religious which is evident
from the way she dresses and her hair dyed red visible through her scarf. Razieh on the other
hand believes completely in her religion and she is always dressed in a full black chador.

Simin (left) and Razieh (right) in A Separation

Emad makes a decision in The Salesman to track Rana’s assailant and unveil his identity. Despite
the availability of legal measures, Rana declines them out of shame. Customs of honor, some of
which have their roots in religion, compel Emad toward revenge, as does his own sense of
humiliation. And yet the pursuit of vengeance feels morally corrosive. As Emad seeks out the
attacker, finds him, and ultimately confronts him, Farhadi carefully creates a situation where
the audience are confused about where their sympathies lie, whether to condemn Emad’s
behavior or condone it.
All of Asghar Farhadi’s films are based on memories and incidents that have struck him. For
instance, About Elly is based on an image of a man standing on the cold sea shore waiting for
his wife’s body to be washed onto the shore. This image stayed in Farhadi’s mind for a long
time prompting him to make a film out of it.

A still from the film About Elly

The inspiration for A Separation came to Farhadi when he was in Berlin writing a script for his
friend. One evening, he heard an Iranian tune playing next door and his mind was overcome
with memories and images that formed another story. The idea of this story completely
occupied his mind during his time in Berlin which made him write another screenplay after
coming back to Iran. Similarly, the storyline of The Past is based on an incident shared by
Farhadi’s friend who had separated from his wife but had not formalized the divorce. Farhadi
imagined this to be an odd situation, to travel to another country and stay with an ex-wife in
order to get a divorce. This idea developed in Farhadi’s mind and soon with dramatic twists, it
was made as a film. The Salesman was developed on a short story that Farhadi had in mind for
many years. The story did not feel complete till Farhadi pieced it together by incorporating a
real play into the film as the characters were theatre actors. Farhadi played with the dynamics
of the empathy that an actor feel and one which is projected onto the audience by putting the
main character, Emad, an actor is a difficult spot where he cannot feel the empathy that is
expected of him.
The seemingly simple storylines of Farhadi’s films are often complex due to the several layers of
meaning. He explores characters in extreme situations which depicts the fragile nature of
personalities and human emotions. The concepts of dignity, honour, humiliation and sensitivity
of humans underlie all his films. Despite the films being loaded with sentiments and emotions,
the filmmaker’s gaze remains neutral. Farhadi credits his audience with the ability to discern the
films for themselves without pointing out anything. The unresolved mysteries and slight
ambiguity in the ending are indicative of the fact that all things in life do not have a perfect end.
Some ends can never be knotted.

Source Note:

https://www.dreamlabfilms.com/asghar-farhadi/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1410815/bio
https://blog.uvm.edu/imorgens-rel195a/2018/04/30/iranian-cinema-an-apologetic-platform/
https://www.theringer.com/2017/1/26/16042652/the-director-who-could-join-the-ranks-of-akira-
kurosawa-and-ingmar-bergman-9be64ccf0199
https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/we-become-completely-different-people-asghar-farhadi-on-
the-salesman
https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/4406-between-stage-and-screen-a-conversation-with-
asghar-farhadi
https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/4RakAyaqiicADwSvtbPVMO/Asghar-Farhadis-fractured-cinema.html
https://www.indiewire.com/2009/04/tribeca-09-interview-about-elly-director-asghar-farhadi-world-
narrative-feature-competition-70646/
http://collider.com/asghar-farhadi-the-past-interview/
http://reverseshot.org/interviews/entry/2306/farhadi
https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/asghar-farhadi-talks-salesman-oscars/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asghar_Farhadi
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jul/15/a-separation-asghar-farhadi-interview
http://emanuellevy.com/interviews/a-separation-interview-with-the-director-asghar-farhadi/