The Seed of the Sacred Fig- Movie Review
Available in Amazon Prime Video.
The courage to make this film is on another level. The Iranian director was sentenced to eight years in jail, yet he still brought this story to life. That is courage, to put a film together knowing it carries real-world consequences.
It is a drama, but trust me, it’s not a heavy-handed one. It is a subtle, powerful, and beautifully acted drama.
The father’s paranoia slowly shifting into delusion is captured so well, and the way his family starts to feel less and less safe with him, despite him being the provider, is heartbreaking. This a powerful metaphor for the Iranian regime’s suffocating grip on its people and the quiet rebellion that ultimately topples its authority. Now, relating this to the title-how the sacred fig tree starts as a seed on a host tree, eventually enveloping and strangling it before standing on its own.
That symbolism is fascinating and adds another layer to the film.
The film runs for 2 hours and 46 minutes. Yes, there are a few dull moments that I wish carried more punch, but overall it is a thrilling watch.
The director had to flee Iran, live in exile in Germany, and still get this story out to the world. That alone makes the movie extraordinary.
This movie is commendable because making art under such circumstances is not easy, especially in Iran. It reminded me of Nazi-era films I have seen, where authority and control are portrayed with subtlety rather than bluntness.This film belongs in that space. It is cinema as an act of resistance.
I watched The Zone of Interest earlier, which is pure, subtle, and brilliant, and I would highly recommend it as well. But the Seed of the Sacred Fig carries its own unique power.
And it is not just about Iran. Stories like this remind us that it can happen anywhere. Just Anywhere….
