Within the weeds of the Iranian family unit portrayed in The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Germany’s entry for Best International Feature at the Oscars, two daughters begin questioning their place and how long silence can last before the mold breaks and the fruit falls from the tree.
After father figure and traditional provider of the family, Iman (Missagh Zareh), gets a new job as a judge ordering death sentences, his daughters are sworn into secrecy. They must choose their friends carefully and watch what they let their parents in on. Their religious mother, Najmeh (Soheila Golestani), who swears to the values of both her husband and the old order of the country she once knew, scolds her daughters for being active on social media and taking interest in the protests that their classmates lead on the streets.
When Iman’s gun is mysteriously stolen, leaving him scrambling and possibly without a job, the family unit folds in on itself as Iman questions everything he thought he knew about his family — and his place in it.
Director Mohammad Rasoulof succeeds at following this family crumble over 168 minutes as a larger metaphor for the generational clashes and changes happening in Iran. When considering how the film was made in secret, with Rasoulouf facing an eight-year prison sentence just for directing it, the themes reveal themselves even more.
The claustrophobic family set pieces create an unsettling effect, especially as the film slowly moves away from pure drama into thriller territory — which only complicates the shifting alliances and relationships within the family. Some of the tonal shifts in the third act are fractured and uneven, most notably during a tense car chase sequence. But The Seed of the Sacred Fig rediscovers its footing in a gripping, largely silent finale.
Pooyan Aghababaei’s intricate camerawork allows the audience to get deep into the intimate tough conversations that this family has, allowing us to not only form a close relationship with them but also wonder what they are closing themselves off from. The most memorable shot in the entire film follows Iman when he realizes he’s lost his gun. Aghababaei circles around him in the house in a long, unbroken take, providing a jolt-in-the-arm effect in juxtaposition to the more static shots that came before.
Rasoulof incorporates social media footage, as many films have done in the past five years, to complement what the two daughters, Rezvan (Masha Rostami) and Sana (Setareh Maleki), see on social media. While the restrictions on filming may have prevented Rasoulouf from capturing the actual protests from his camera, adding this real footage that has circulated online only contributes to the film’s overall social commentary. Rasoulouf explores how social media can be an educational tool, informing the daughters on the issues that their parents close them off from, while also positing how isolating it can be to watch from a distance.
Iman is a largely absent father figure as his job consumes him, along with his soul. This thankfully turns Rasoulof’s attention to the more interesting mother-daughter dynamic. Golestani imbues her mother character with empathy, clueing us in on her innate powerlessness against her husband’s force and her unspoken desire for something more. The true breakout of the film, though, is Rostami’s portrayal of the oldest daughter who finds herself falling in between her mother and younger sister.
The film itself isn’t without some unnecessary reliance on over-explanatory dialogue, especially during some of the dinner table scenes, but the family drama is so compelling to watch unfold through both the performances and direction.
The very fact that The Seed of the Sacred Fig was finished at all and can be experienced in theaters is a miracle. Rasoulof’s work showcases how stripping down a story to its roots — in this case, following one family during a pivotal point in an oppressive regime’s history — can speak volumes about the people, places and culture around it.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of NEON.
The very fact that The Seed of the Sacred Fig was finished at all and can be experienced in theaters is a miracle. Rasoulof’s work showcases how stripping down a story to its roots — in this case, following one family during a pivotal point in an oppressive regime’s history — can speak volumes about the people, places and culture around it.
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Matt Minton is a dedicated, passionate entertainment journalist currently working as an editorial intern at Variety. Matt is interested in screenwriting and producing in the entertainment industry, driven to spotlight stories within the LGBTQIA+ community every step of the way. Matt always cherishes going to the theater to experience new and old movies alike.
