Circumstance, written and directed by Maryam Keshavarz, tells the story of Atafeh and Shareen, teenage girls exploring their feelings for each other in contemporary Iran. Complicating an already complicated issue is Atafeh's brother, Mehran, fresh from drug rehab, who suspects something amiss.
This movie garnered a lot of attention at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award. I saw this film as it closed the New Directors/New Films Festival in New York. I recommend seeing it as it continues to make the festival circuit, and finally opens this summer (fingers crossed).
While it's true Circumstance tackles taboo in an uneasy society, its power lies in its resistance to being a commentary. This film speaks to the much broader theme of the boundaries we build (for better or for worse) around each other, around ourselves- including drugs, religion, family, insecurity, sex, etc.
What do you think?
Image courtesy of "Circumstance: The Movie" Facebook page.
2011 France/USA/Iran, A Roadside Attractions release
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