Born in Evin

I found this documentary not only calming and visually appealing but it made me ponder about life and family relationships like it didn't happen in a while.

The harrowing, terrible events are weaved throughout the conversations and the inner reflections that the director/protagonist display on screen for us. It's a personal story of searching for the truth with a healthy dose of stubbornness and diplomacy that are very much needed when working on a project like this: the suffering of political prisoners in the 1980s Iran, especially women, especially women who gave birth in prison. Hence our protagonist who was born in such conditions and wants to know what happened.

It is interesting indeed, but unfortunately it is hardly relatable. Yes, pretty much anyone had conflicts with their parents and there have been misunderstandings and maybe even secrets. And yes, as young people we want to belong somewhere. But here it just doesnt click.

The weird choices when it comes to "branding" don't help: I dare to say the title is obscure for the vast majority of the international public (why not having something "born into an Iranian prison"); the poster it's even worse: what's the point of the helmet from the parachuting? And nope, using the parachute scenes as a bookending doesnt work: too abstract and disconnected from the events.

I loved the slow, wide shots during the interviews, it gives you the impression of a respectful distance. The meaningful, slow paced transition between scenes helped to give me mount time to reflect and absorb the events, especially names and places and events. This where the production team shines.

After a very good start it slowly loses focus. Maybe because it took them 3+ to make it? The mother seems to represent too many storytelling aspects: the goal (she knows the truth), the obstacle (she gets pissed and doesnt want to talk) and what's at stake (will the mother-daughter relationship survive the making of the movie?) . The ending has no resolution whatsoever, and if does it was too abstract for me to understand; some conversations are superfluous , they dont add much to what we already know: like the one in California.