An excellent study of authoritarianism. It has two equally important qualities: one is a deep respect for the victims and their suffering; the other is the courage to face the autocrat and give him every possibility to present his view. That the dictator demonstrates no need for defense and is thus denying any guilt and responsibility is probably the key feature of authoritarianism. Brilliant and breathtaking!

As the film unfolds, we understand there is good reason for this. It very well describes a society in which a group of people – grown-up men – treat other members of society – children and women – with the lightness of a cartoon: having absolute power over their existence, they enter and exit their subjects as they please. Most probably, this also represents the lightness well by which these men experience the world they live in, their relations with others, and their responsibilities; but, what about all other members of such society – women and children?

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Nasser Zamiri, born 1977 in Iran, started his artistic work in 1994 after going through the training of the Iran Association of Young Cinema. He shot his first film in 1998. So far, his films have been screened nationally and internationally, and have won many awards.

Filmography (selection): 2006 COZY PLACE FOR FISH, 2008 SKY WITHOUT PASSPORT, 2011 BITTER MILK, 2014 BA DIGARAN, 2019 FAMILY RELATIONS, 2020 INHAL