Underplayed Gems

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024)

The Seed of the Sacred Fig poster
Original title
Les Graines du figuier sauvage
Directed by
Mohammad Rasoulof
Genre
drama film
Country
Iran, Germany, France
Runtime
2h 48m
Rated
PG-13
Rating
7.5 of 10 from 481 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A judge in Tehran grows increasingly paranoid as nationwide protests escalate and his gun goes missing. He begins to distrust his wife and daughters.

tenseparanoidunsettlingslow-burnbleaksuspensefulclaustrophobicpolitical

What happens

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Persian: دانه‌ی انجیر معابد, romanized: Dāne-ye anjīr-e ma'ābed) is a 2024 political drama film written, co-produced and directed by Mohammad Rasoulof. Its plot centers on Iman, an investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, who grapples with paranoia as nationwide political protests, caused by the death of a young woman, intensify and his gun mysteriously disappears, making him distrust his wife and daughters. It stars Soheila Golestani, Missagh Zareh, Mahsa Rostami and Setareh Maleki. The fictional narrative is combined with real images of the 2022–2023 protests in Iran that were violently suppressed by Iranian authorities. The Seed of the Sacred Fig had its premiere on 24 May 2024 at the main competition of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or, winning the Special Jury Prize. Ahead of its premiere, Rasoulof was sentenced to eight years in prison by Iranian authorities. After successfully fleeing to Germany, Rasoulof and other cast and crew members attended the Cannes' red carpet premiere. The film received critical acclaim and was theatrically released in France on 18 September 2024, and in Germany on 26 December 2024. It was named the Best International Film of 2024 by the National Board of Review. It was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, as well as for Best Film Not in the English Language at the 78th British Academy Film Awards. At the 97th Academy Awards, it was nominated for Best International Feature Film as the German entry. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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