The Seed of the Sacred Fig

The result is a surprising and revelatory film that shakes its first at an authoritarian government and, in doing so, turns into one of the best films of 2024.

The emotional reality of living in Iran while holding views that oppose the state, the movie suggests, is anxiety-inducing—almost unfathomably so for those who have never dealt with such restrictions.

But those sequences are a minor distraction, and the rest of the film’s methodical pace, its deliberate unfolding of the family’s growing rifts, feels almost classical, as if we’re watching an old legend fitted to a new age.

Despite the difficult shooting conditions, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” doesn’t look like it was made in a hurry, but is rather carefully and evocatively staged. [Full review in Spanish]

Rasoulof gets terrific performances from all of his cast, but particularly noteworthy is Sohelia Golestani's work as Najmeh, which captures the woman's subtle, gradual transition from defender of her husband to an ally of her daughters.

Through a single family, Mr. Rasoulof has created a vivid portrait of the dilemmas of today’s Iran, where the power of iman, or faith, suggests one kind of observation but the power of the iPhone suggests another.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig is nearly three hours long, but tense and engrossing enough that time fairly flies by. If plausibility occasionally flags, characters nonetheless remain credible.

It feeds on the paranoia of the family patriarch, who leads his loved ones down a dangerous path involving interrogation tactics, a surprising car chase, and a thrilling climax.

... a straightforward and unvarnished feature that tackles its heavy subject matter through the heartrending plight of a once tight-knit Tehran family.

With audacity and clear-eyed conviction, this sprawling drama offers a searing takedown of bureaucratic oppression.