Biography

The Truth in A Separation

          The way in which a film establishes its relationship with reality within the story and within the world it was made in directs the viewer on how to internalize and interpret it. Films that are labeled as surrealist explore the contradictions and complexities of human consciousness through extraordinary imagery and impossible axioms. On the other hand, films can dive into complex and gritty facets of material reality and the human condition through subdued cinematography and performances. These films are often classified as works of realism. Realist cinema has accompanied many cultural movements, such as Italian neorealism’s significance in a post-Mussolini nation. The realist cinematic movement in Iran is seen as continuing the neorealist legacy through works from directors like Abbas Kiarostami and Majid Majidi. However, one piece of Iranian realist cinema stands apart from the rest as a unique product of a singular vision: A Separation. Through its expert use of subdued cinematography and complex character profiles which stand in contrast to other Iranian post-revolutionary realist cinema, Asghar Farhadi’s 2011 masterpiece A Separation stands as a unique piece of Iranian cinema which by establishing an immersive ambiance of objectivity successfully examines the subjectivity of truth and the complexity of class and gender hierarchy present in Iranian society.

          The cinematography of Mahmoud Kalari featured in A Separation establishes the idea of objectivity in the film to simultaneously allow for complex themes to be explored with the assurance of reliability but also for the idea of objectivity to be criticized. The film begins with a fixed shot of the main characters Nader and Simin who are presenting their respective cases regarding their divorce to a judge whose point of view is represented through the shot (Farhadi 01:35-05:17). Already with the first shot, the realist aura which defines the film is imbued into the story and the viewer’s mind. Additionally, the complex stance the film takes in questioning the objectivity and infallibility of the Iranian legal system is set into motion. The creative use of cinematography and complex view of legality and domestic disputes in the first minutes of the film sets Farhadi apart from the other Iranian realist figures, as he “...embraces precisely those themes that…were absent from post-Revolutionary Iranian cinema: domestic and social conflicts” (Rugo 175). This focus on interpersonal exchanges existing within different frameworks of life allows Farhadi to take a comprehensive approach when exploring his views through his art.

          Another way in which Farhadi stands apart from his Iranian realist contemporaries is the way in which he (and Kalari) films dramatic disputes. While other directors/cinematographers might use a close shot to show the raw intensity of an action/dispute such as the scene in Majidi Majid’s 1997 classic Children of Heaven where Zahra is chasing after one of her shoes (27:06-29:02), Farhadi opts for relatively long shots when filming a lot of the dramatic disputes in A Separation. The effect created by these shots is that of a bystander who is simply viewing the events of the film. A prime example is the dramatic skirmish which occurs between Hodjat and Nader in the hospital when Nader and Simin come to check on Razieh (Farhadi 51:58-52:58). Despite this moment being emotional and filled with tension, it is not shot close to the action in a way that maximizes the physical dispute happening. The conflict begins with a long shot and then shifts to a medium shot once Nader is dragged out of the hospital by Hodjat. This cinematographic decision reinforces the realistic tone for the viewer and yet again visually conveys the idea of an objective view of things while simultaneously criticizing the idea of objectivity. The events in A Separation are defined by the differing perspectives the characters have on what transpires. This aspect of the plot acts as a vessel for Farhadi’s contemplation on the nature of truth in the world and the debatable notion of objective truth. This hospital sequence also uses another of the more significant cinematographic elements in A Separation: glass.

          The technique used by Kalari of filming events through glass barriers intensifies multiple key components of the film. Instead of maintaining a stylized and unrealistic tone by shooting with no obstruction, Kalari includes shots that are obstructed/shot through glass. By incorporating parts of actual life like this, the real and gritty atmosphere of the film is reinforced through the mise-en scène. On top of this, glass barriers in A Separation act as a perfect visual representation for the sociocultural and socioeconomic barriers that divide Iranian society. These barriers which arise from and perpetuate the existence of hierarchies in society such as class and gender are depicted by glass partitions, as the identities formed by experiences and sociocultural/socioeconomic structures obstruct the characters in the film from not only perceiving and (ideally) understanding the possibly existent objective truth, but also the subjective truth of other characters including their family members and friends.

          The use of glass barriers as a symbol is most effective in the open-ended and moving final scene of A Separation. The question which was introduced at the beginning of the film and has burned in the background of the film must receive an answer, as Termeh is at the point where she must tell the judge which parent she would like to stay with while they are asked to wait outside (Farhadi 1:59:40-2:02:37). When Nader and Simin exit and await the momentous decision, they position themselves on opposite sides of the hall in the story and are on opposite sides of the shot in the context of cinematography. Not only are the two on opposite walls of the hall, but they’re also on opposite sides of a glass barrier, separated by structures which form their society and consequently their identities. There might be an objective reality of truth, but an individual reality is subjective: shaped by experience and sociocultural/socioeconomic standing. Recognizing this as truth itself might be the closest thing to objective truth that exists. Connecting this idea to Farhadi’s other work, “The symbolism behind the use of…glass could be attributed to a metonymical rendition of the glacial human relations that forms part and parcel of Farhadi’s oeuvre” (Ahmadgoli and Yazdanjoo 703). This oeuvre of Farhadi is characterized by the exploration of complex human relations: another thing which sets him apart from other Iranian realist directors.

            The exploration of class and gender hierarchy through the lens of complex characters is another thing that sets A Separation and Asghar Farhadi apart. The complexity of Farhadi’s characters not only is a substantial part of what makes his films such effective pieces of realism, but also differs from the character work of other Iranian realist directors. While “Post-revolutionary Iranian cinema has often been praised for its emotional immediacy…” , “The characters in his [Farhadi] films are marked by emotional complexity rather than immediacy…” (Rugo 173-175). In A Separation, Farhadi examines social structures such as class and gender primarily through juxtaposing the two main couples. While Nader and Simin have some financial stability, Razieh and Hodjat are shown to be of a lower class standing. Razieh and Hodjat are “...shaped by deeply-held social and cultural values for which Nader and Simin have little, if any, regard” (Ahmadgoli and Yazdanjoo 707). Hodjat feels that he’s not listened to because of his sociocultural standing, and due to his inability to articulate himself presumably stemming from his background, he often expresses himself through anger towards others and especially himself (Rugo 170). Even when he is not angry, Hodjat “always has to defend himself against charges of violence and rage: characteristically, he laments before the school teachers in Nader’s daughter’s school, ‘why do you think we beat our wives and children like animals? I swear on this Quran, we’re humans just like you’” (Ahmadgoli and Yazdanjoo 708). This exploration of the connection between different social structures is done separately, but in a manner which recognizes their intertwined existences.

The intersection between class and gender is apparent when comparing Razieh and Simin. Razieh is devoutly religious, and her truth is clearly shaped by religious and patriarchal values from which she has no financial means to grow beyond. On the other hand, Simin does not adhere to patriarchal gender roles in her dress or speech and seems to represent the quasi-erosion of traditional gender roles in Western culture possibly making its way to Iranian society. While Nader and Hodjat “belong to different gender roles and entertain vastly different perspectives on gender relations”, they “...reserve for themselves–albeit to different degrees–the right to set and define the boundaries within which their wives move and conduct their lives” (Milani 210). The ways in which gender and class structures intertwine is incredibly complex, and Farhadi does a brilliant job of exploring this through A Separation.

            The history of realist cinema is one that has roots in countries and cultures across the world. One important realist cinematic movement took place in post-revolutionary Iran, where directors such as Majid Majidi made acclaimed films which showed the stark reality for different sociocultural/socioeconomic groups of Iranians, but predominantly working-class Iranians. In the Iranian realist canon, Asghar Farhadi stands as a unique figure whose films don’t possess a lot of the qualities attributed to Iranian cinema such as emotional immediacy and relatively simple characters. A Separation directed by Farhadi stands as a unique piece of Iranian realist cinema which through its unique cinematography and complicated characters expertly examines the subjectivity of truth and sociocultural hierarchies present in Iranian society.