User reviews

Many of us know about the recent protests in Iran and the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. The hijab is mandatory in Iran and is enforced by over zealous religious police. Outside of Iran it is hard to understand that something that seems trivial to us is such a big issue.

This film works because it takes us inside a family unit that is impacted by these very issues. It appears to use actual protest footage ( suitably obscured) mixed in along with the fictional actors. This gives it a more urgent edge.

The husband works as an investigator for the regime. One step away from being a judge. He is under severe pressure at work to process huge numbers of religious "crimes" without any due process. He is finding out that the price of his promotion is blind obedience.

He has two daughters. One at high school and the other at university (college.) One of the daughters has a friend who is shot after being in a crowd near a protest. We are told she was an innocent bystander.

The mum of the family is very concerned to protect the family status and reputation which will see them get a bigger apartment to live in. However this won't happen unless all aspects of life are squeaky clean. They can't even tell the daughters what the Dad does because it is a security risk.

In one of the first shots of the movie we see bullets being handed over to the Dad along with a pistol. He is being promoted but needs to be able to protect himself.

What we are seeing is an actual literal Chekhov's Gun in the story. A concept you can look up :)

The pistol disappears from the apartment and the dad must find it or face a possible jail sentence for its loss. This ramps up the tension a few levels and the film then somewhat devolves from then on.

The main impact from the film is to personalise the various political pressures on each member of the family. The best art takes us beyond the headlines to show us what is happening and how that looks and feels in real life.

The story is a fiction but feels like a documentary in many respects. As a film it is a success in helping us to empathise with real people caught up in this kind of terror.

I saw this film at a festival. There were some scenes that were unwatchable and quite emotional.

It is now coming up to the 2 year anniversary of that wave of protests. It wasn't just one person who has died in the protests. Records indicate the number is approaching 500 and the ripple waves of anxiety and stress in families can only be approximated but this film goes a fair way to doing just that.

There are still places on this Earth where women risk death for committing the irremissible crime of bareheadedness; of not wearing enough fabric to God's supposed liking. Such was the case of Mahsa Amini, the Iranian woman who died in the hospital (from "unrelated causes", as the sorts of people we see in this film would try to tell us -- and themselves) after being arrested for not wearing her hijab in public, escalating the ongoing Girls of Enghelab protests to the point of major unrest that lasted from September of 2022 and all the way into the spring of 2023.

In The Seed of the Sacred Fig, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof (the Iranian filmmaker who has often found himself at odds with his government and currently resides in exile in Germany), the events are seen from the perspective of the family of an investigating judge in Tehran. Throughout the film, real TikTok and Instagram videos of the bedlam are interwoven with the narrative. The unrest is reflected in this family; the daughters question the authorities and traditions that their parents protect for little reason other than tradition itself -- and yes, a point of violence is reached.

This is a tense, atmospheric, moving film. I don't wish to reveal too much about it, but I will say this: if this film becomes as big and impactful as it ought to be, its recurring phrase "I won't sit" may get co-opted by many equal rights/freedom movements to come.

Many Oscar opinion-havers this season have quipped, "I don't care who wins; I just need Emilia Pérez to lose". This concerns all categories that it's (somehow) nominated within, including Best International Feature Film. I guess I don't care who wins either. But it should be The Seed of the Sacred Fig.

The seed of the sacred fig is the first relevant, powerful film about the Iranian rebelion that took place in 2022. The Woman, Life, Freedom's movement was born right after the arrest and death of Jina Mahsa Amini, a student that did nothing but remove her veil. The director takes us down to a family of an Iranian judge (working for the State and the Mollah 's regime) who is about to receive a promotion that is supposed to change his life right at the moment the 2022 revolution starts. We spectators somehow live this key period of Iran through the eyes of this middle class family which is about to upgrade its living conditions. We are emerged in their every day life until the gun of the father (the judge) disapears or gets stolen inside their home.

The film features a fantastic script, wonderful actors and images of an unknown Iran. You can see Iran like we can rarely see it, with its modernity, its rich history and ancient monuments, its poverty as well as its drawbacks. Like in many Iranian films, the spectator is plunged into complex situations with ethical questions which oblige to choose between moral, personal values and loyalty to the regime: Shall I wear this veil or another (less provokative one) ? Should I go the university despite of the strikes ? Shoulld I ask a favor to my neighbor and take the risk of revealing my family's problems? The ethical questions are everywehre, and they are direct consequences of the heavy oppressive regime that has ruled Iran for now decades. All these questions are faced with dignity and sense of duty by the characters , with sometimes even loyalty towards a regime who could not care less about its people. Through these situations are revealed the lack of freedom, the oprression over women, the complicity of those who take profit of this regime and of course the brutality of a regime condemned to sacrifice its own people in order to survive.

The latter will be perfectly depicted through the fate of the father willing to do his job respectfully but obliged to corrupt himself and sacrifice his people in order to survive to this revolution no matter how painful it is.

I particularly enjoyed the insight into the Iranian middle class. Being able to see and imagine what is an every day life for women in Iran is difficult to figure from the Western World. The more the film lenghts the better it gets as you can clearly see the impasse into which the country has plunged, and with it its inhabitants (and in this case this family) condemned to find a guilty among them.

Little by little, we can spot the seeds of discord germinating in this family, into the society, among students, and throughout the world thanks to social networks. That's the other revelation of this film. Social network is the key; that's the tool through which the song Baraye resonates, as well as images of police violence are spread, proofs of the oppression are accumulated, they are the hopes of Iran. The regime can no longer hide behind outrageous lies, the seeds of rebellion are now spread everywhere and the complice of the regime can no longer hide.

A promising outcry and a promising motto for the future Iranian society: Woman, Life, Freedom that we hope, will eventually change Iran for good.

To better understand the concept behind the film, this might help, learn where the name of the film comes from: There are plants known as "strangler figs" that exhibit strange behavior. Strangler figs (genus *Ficus*) begin their life as seeds deposited on the branches of a host tree, typically by birds or other animals. The seeds germinate and send down roots that eventually reach the ground. As the roots grow and thicken, they encircle the host tree, creating a lattice-like structure.

Over time, the strangler fig's roots and branches grow larger and more robust, competing with the host tree for sunlight and nutrients. Eventually, the fig's growth can become so extensive that it constricts the host tree's trunk, restricting its ability to transport water and nutrients. This process can lead to the host tree's death, effectively allowing the strangler fig to take over the space and resources previously used by the host.

The strangler fig does not immediately kill the host tree but rather slowly overcomes it through a combination of physical encasement and competition for resources. This fascinating but destructive relationship highlights a unique strategy in the plant kingdom for survival and growth.

The sacred fig is also the strangler fig. It nuzzles its host even as it strangles them to death. The criminal is not the one you expect.

Iman is climbing the ladder in Iran's judicial system. High minded, ambitious, and hard-working, he strives to earn the approval of his superiors and is promoted. Expecting adulation, Iman encounters rebellion instead. Where he presumes love in his workplace, country, wife and daughters, he finds insurgence. If Iman looks inside himself, he might find a way to set things right.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig won two prizes at the Cannes film festival and succeeds because of its authenticity, depth, capable actors, and riveting story. Director Mohammad Rasoulof spent time in prison for the crime of practicing his art of filmmaking. Rasoulof appeared via video at this Toronto International Film Festival screening to tell the story of one of his interrogators who felt shame at his actions and didn't know in what direction to turn. He claimed to be getting grief from his family. This interrogator is the model for the character of Iman.

This raw and unsettling film features actual footage from the violent 2022 uprising in Iran over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was taken into custody for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. The film reminds us to take a close look at our workplace, country, friends, family, and selves in order not to become a host for any strangler figs, no matter how sacred they claim to be.

Tonight, I watched the film "The Fig Tree of Temples" and I have to say, it was one of the most beautiful and impactful cinematic experiences I've ever had. What made this film resonate with me so deeply wasn't just its strong and artistic storytelling, but the fact that every scene felt so realistic and connected to my personal experiences. It was as if every moment of the film reminded me of the tough and tense period we all went through.

The film beautifully and profoundly touches on the Mahsa Amini revolution and the social and political crises of that time, a period in which I personally participated and witnessed days filled with hardship and uncertainty. The story of the two girls in this context felt like a symbol for millions of Iranians who lived through those moments. I saw myself in those two characters, and this deep empathy gave me an opportunity to understand the emotions and struggles of that era.

The film was emotionally overwhelming, and each scene reminded me of how we all lived through those days, filled with both pain and hope. For me, this film is not just a remarkable piece of art, but also a reminder of a painful and crucial chapter in modern Iranian history.

If you're looking for a film that, in its beauty, also brings to light the harsh and painful truths of our society, "The Fig Tree of Temples" is an exceptional choice.

Overall engaging movie, and it tried to portray what happened in Iran 2022, it has alot of symbolic scense which I am not sure if there was good intentions about it or not.

Very good acting from not very famous actors and actresses, and good suspension, but over all alot of hate towards men is induced in this film( not very fair) as I think director and people of Iran has alot of emotions(which are fair) towards what they experienced.

Screen play has alot of gaps; the motives of the gun thief was not explained, Dad suddenly turned to a monster, did not make sense, girls suddenly showed alot of PTSD from the dad, but why?

If this movie gets an international award, it's totally because of today's circumstances, not a power full screenplay, but for Iran's level this is 7+ movie, internationally it's above average.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig was one of the most expected premieres in Cannes due to the backstory of its creation. A film shot in secret in Iran, that led to its director and cast being sentenced to prison and lashing. So, would the movie be able to live up to the expectations despite its complicated production?

What followed was not a film, it was a MOLOTOV COCKTAIL! An incredibly brave, powerful and moving tale of morality, paranoia and resistance. The third act had people talking, but makes perfect sense to me in its symbolic context. If before the movie Rasoulof and his crew already received a big standing ovation due to the film's background, the emotive standing ovation it received after the screening was even more enthusiastic, with the also Iranian director and fellow Palme competitor Ali Abassi encouraging people to stand up and cheer.

The Seed of the Scared Fig did, unfortunately, not win the Palme d'Or in the end, and had to settle for a minor Special Jury Prize. But still, it would have been my choice for the main prize, and won over my and many other people's hearts. Women, Life, Freedom!

Bro, this movie has a gold premise, it starts amazing well written and very thrilling. Not going to spoil anything but it has to do a lot with women rights in Teheran and protests against the government and members of political parties (the father of the family). But there is a point where a gun is lost, and it suddenly becomes a dead by daylight chase combined with Friday 13th or somtn, because it takes a drastic turn in the plot where it looks like an "I'm going to get you" type of suspense and then, seems like they ran out of budget, found a cool place to shoot some chasing scenes and there they ended the movie.

Overall acting is good and convincing, it is an ok movie with bad ending.

"Dane Annir Maabed" is a powerful and moving portrayal of the "Zan Zendegi Azadi" (Women, Life, Freedom) movement. The film uses a documentary style, mixing real footage from protests with storytelling that highlights the courage and determination of people fighting for their rights.

Through scenes of actual protests, interviews, and personal stories, the film shows what it was like to stand up against oppression. We witness the bravery of women and men risking everything for freedom, despite the dangers they faced. This film goes beyond just telling the story of the movement; it brings viewers closer to the lives of those involved and the sacrifices they made.

"Dane Annir Maabed" is more than a movie. It's a tribute to the resilience of people who fought for justice, making it a must-watch for anyone who wants to understand the "Zan Zendegi Azadi" movement and its powerful message of hope and freedom. A Moving Tribute to the Courage Behind the 'Zan Zendegi Azadi' Movement.

Where do I even begin ?.. Words like freedom and dignity are not just mere words but they carry in them the deepest pain and suffering of all of humanity, Pain and suffering that were unawaredly endured for thousands of years through social and all kinds of oppression at the hands of a few oppressors and many a times by the very social norms that the humanity had laid out for itself through the truncated understanding of its own social condition in the larger scheme of collective human existence, how do you even go about freeing yourself from the clutches laid out by the collective oppression that has become your identity and the very means to your existence, how do you even go about waking up the society to the cultural cruelty that it's inflicting on its own cultural freedom and social well-being, The seed of the scared fig is not just a movie about Iran and it's women and their struggle over theocratical oppression to expand the social space for their personal freedom to reach the realms of human dignity and it's social acknowledgement, it's a much deeper study on the conflict that arises between the all empowered state through whatever social dictum and the individual freedom which forms the basis of the creation of the sub-unit called family, the very basis on which societies as such come into existence and seek to thrive in various forms and colours...This movie carries a seed in it that humanity needs to cherish for its own better future ...

Iman gets promoted as investigating judge which offers him higher salary and a 3 bedroom apartment. His wife Najmeh is delighted at this prospect while they finally decide to reveal the nature of his job to their daughters. It's an extremely volatile environment in Tehran with the nationwide protests against the government and the citizens being forcefully silenced by the government. Iman's daughters Rezvan and Sana too witness the atrocities and start questioning the authority. Iman is now in full control of the authoritarian government refuses to accept change whereas Rezvan and Sana rightfully rebel.

It was honestly a surprising watch considering the turn it took in the final act. In terms of writing, dealing with the authoritarian figure i.e. Iman in the extreme way felt like a clever take and the director succeeds in maintaining the tense moments. What worked for me was the two acts where one introduces the character of the free spirited Sadaf and her predicament which impacts Rezvan and Sana deeply. The other being the missing gun segment and how Iman starts doubting his own family, putting them through interrogation, all of this while the footages of the protests were displayed. These two acts had a solid impact and then the final act took a giant leap with the thriller angle. Overall, it was a solid watch for the most part, putting across it's stance through it's female characters.

The movie is like two movies stitched together. The first half is very good, actors, scenario, shooting etc. It looks as if the scenario has been written as the film is shot without a plan to how it will end. In the last third of the movie, there seems to be a lapse of everything as if the the whole production/direction crew has been jailed and some new people took over the production without knowing what the film is about. It seems condemning the Iranian regime seems to be the ultimate motive, however it would have been more successful with a good last half. The last third of the movie is pointless, meaningless and boring, taking away what the first part has induced.

SotSF is pretty great until near the end when the tension started to dissipate (or maybe it is because if you show a gun for that long, the anti-climax of it *not* going off should be earned and I am not convinced this did). Maybe it was seeing so many putting this in the top, top pantheon of the year's films; not only it's Oscar nomination, but the nature of how it was basically smuggled out of the country to be Screened at Cannes (itself a bold and inspiring story to get to where it found distribution for much of the world) brings an expectation, not to mention the run time. The fact that it is really really profound and strong in the ways that matter counts though, especially as a film about family dysfunction and how the roles they've been put into are disastrous.

I loved how the mother was not that sympathetic to the daughters early on, and yet there were more than a few wrinkles in what the filmmaker shows us of the distance between husnand and wife - all those nights where he comes home and she at first stays up but then falls asleep as he is out longer and longer (and to look back after the film is done at those scenes and to understand *why* he was out so long having "meetings" at work adds to the chilling nature of his response) - and that if it wasn't for this missing gun something else was going to break in this family some way. And this is a time period that is not some far off context but a society that is actively in religious oppression and armed to the teeth.

Some of the film is shot fairly standard, coverage being largely shot reverse shot and so forth for dialog, but what's impressive to me is when Rasoulof breaks from this, like when the girl's friend is at the house with the battered face and the mother takes time to pick out the pieces of weaponry from her wounds. That is the most upsetting part of the whole film if I take stock of it all, in how carefully she takes in picking out those pieces, and it's also from here that the mother Najmeh may not say it outright (and she still has a lot of motherly consternation for her daughters after this, especially in the "it'll upset your father" realm, Golestani is in like 6 dimensions with her performance), but she is changed and has to see things differently now. Or will she, is a key question.

It does lean more into a Genre/Thriller kind of story in the last half hour - almost like something out of the Shining if one were to say more like a Horror film (only our dad/husband just has his own maniacal paternal paranoia and self hatred to blame) - and that isn't quite as absorbing as just seeing this family at home. But we do need that moment where the two people following the family on the road confront the dad, for us to see just what extent they are at now in the story, and that it almost has to unravel from there with what the gun is really all about. And all of this with the immediate and harrowing backdrop of the protests and demonstrations of the period, it makes for an extremely satisfying film.

The events are very close to the truth, the events that happened and still happens in Iran. The director and the actors are very brave to make this movie, because there are severe consequences from the government to them. The cast played so well and it was totally believable and touching. I was very emotional watching this, made me cry many times. This movie deserves more attention and recognition.

I totally recommend to watch it for iranians and the others who want to know what happened in the year 2022 in Iran, and the events/protests after Mahsa Amini's death. It was very interesting to see it from the government executers perspective.

A provocative & politically charged drama that also serves as a scathing critique of oppressive rule through the devastating account of a family's unraveling, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is an increasingly incendiary story that takes its time to acquaint us with the family dynamics before seeds of paranoia & mistrust take root in the household and turn the whole thing into a familial nightmare.

Written, co-produced & directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, the main incident that sets the plot into motion takes place over an hour into the picture but in that time, it does familiarise us with the volatile situation & civil unrest taking place outside the house that complicates things a lot more within the household. Rasoulof is patient in his approach and provides ample space for the characters to breathe.

The first half covers the clash in ideology & perspective that unfolds between the ladies of the house over the real-world riots & protests taking place outside their apartment, the footage of which is interspersed within the narrative. The film is expertly shot but the narration is rather clunky and only held together by strong performances from the cast. The runtime is also often felt, and the final act overstays its welcome.

Overall, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a bold, brave & audacious effort from Rasoulof who risks his own life & puts everything on the line to deliver a scorching indictment that's timely & urgent in more ways than one. The slow-burn pace makes the length all the more daunting despite the premise being interesting on paper and the film as a whole needed to be more tightly-knitted to make its powerful message heard with thunderous clarity.

Botany fun fact: A certain type of fig tree flourishes by wrapping itself around a host tree and growing so rapidly that it eventually kills the host and thrives in its place. In the mind of Iranian Writer/Director Mohammad Rasoulof, freedom and democracy will eventually overtake and supplant the authoritarian theocracy of Iran. As metaphors go, the fig tree's not bad.

In the opening scene of "The Seed of the Sacred Fig," a gun rests on a shiny metal counter. Eight bullets tumble down nearby. Because Iman (Missagh Zareh) has just been named an Investigating Judge of the Revolutionary Court, the Iranian regime issues him a gun and ammunition for self-protection (that's the benign interpretation, anyway). The timing for Iman couldn't be worse. Almost immediately after he is promoted to his new position, a young woman is detained for refusing to wear a hijab in public and dies while in the custody of Iran's morality police. Authorities claim she had a stroke. Protesters, particularly university students, claim she was beaten to death. Iman's going to be very busy processing student protesters and other malcontents through the meat grinder of the country's "justice" system.

This film wraps the fictional story of Iman and his family around the real-life events of Mahsa Amini's death in September, 2022, and the massive protests that followed. (Actual cell phone videos of these protests and the accompanying police violence are interspersed throughout the film.) The family life of Iman, his wife Najmeh (Soheila Golestani) and their two daughters (portrayed by Setareh Maleki and Mahsa Rostami) becomes a microcosm of the broader societal conflict. Iman is away most of the time because of his new job. When he's home, he spends a lot of time defending the government's actions to his daughters, whose sympathies are aligned with the protesters. Najmeh engages in shuttle diplomacy to try to keep the family intact. But when Iman's gun goes missing, the fissures among family members become more pronounced and Najmeh must make some hard choices.

Shooting and completing this film were enormous challenges. Because Rasoulof has been in and out of prison in Iran (his films have been branded "propaganda against the regime"), "Sacred Fig" was filmed clandestinely. During filming, Rasoulof directed the actors from a remote location to avoid attention from local authorities. Further, the female actors risked prosecution. In Iran, it is illegal for women to be captured on film without a hijab, even indoors. As this film was nearing completion, Rasoulof was sentenced to eight years in prison, flogging, a fine and confiscation of property because of his past offenses against the regime. As a result, he fled Iran. He worked remotely by computer with his crew to complete final editing of the film during the twenty-eight days it took for him to be smuggled from Iran to Germany.

Given the struggles, risks and sacrifices of Rasoulof and his actors in getting "Sacred Fig" to the screen, quibbling about the script, offering a critique of cinematic technique or evaluating the acting just feels beside the point. (The lead actors are all very good.) "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" is a film filled with raw emotion and with unbridled rage against a regime that appears obsessed with self-preservation while caring little for its people. The film documents compellingly how the paranoia of a disengaged theocracy can seep into an individual family, with cataclysmic results.

Ultimately, "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" deserves to be accepted on its own terms - as a searing indictment of a merciless theocracy and as a thoughtful, compassionate portrayal of women struggling to find their voices and to help each other along the way.

The movie "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" is a political thriller centered on Iman, who is searching for a promotion in Tehran's judicial system. As he ascends in his career, he is torn between personal and professional conflicts, facing moral dilemmas within his family amid the upheaval of the 2022-2023 Iran protests.

The movie is captivating for its portrayal of the clash between an archaic, sexist, and oppressive government driven by religious ideals and the freedom of expression, culture, and modern values embraced by the younger generation. This duality extends into the family dynamic, where personal beliefs collide with political pressures, creating a powerful internal conflict.

Director and writer Mohammad Rasoulof delivers an emotional movie by blending real footage of student protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.

Another standout achievement is the title The Seed of the Sacred Fig, which perfectly captures and summarizes the essence of the movie. It's a perfect and beautiful choice that sums up the story beautifully.

Two teenage daughters in a strictly traditional Iranian family see their own classmates treated in an oppressive manner by the law. The film starts with their father obtaining a powerful position in the justice system where he has been a loyal employee for 20 years. His promotion in such a hated system makes him a target by revolutionary activists who are pushing back against Iran's oppressive courts. What follows is a family schism that threatens the very stability of their lives, especially after the father's gun mysteriously goes missing.

Social media is the girls' true weapon against indoctrination and deception. In older generations, they would only have the slanted television news and their parents' religious browbeating to turn to, but their window into the outside world gives them the ammunition they need to question their upbringing and challenge oppressive authority.

As westerners, we sometimes forget how fortunate we are. Watching a normal mishap escalate into such a diabolical family dispute is something that seems far more likely to take place in a society like Iran where women are still regarded with mistrust and men have the power to treat their entire family as mere defendants. While the film gives a voice to the oppressive father and the mother who is an obedient wife but who still loves her children, we never leave the daughters' perspective. They see a world in which they cannot be heard and their quiet rage finally gets sparked into fury. Masterfully directed and acted and not to be missed. Recommended to the highest degree.