Law on Film

A Separation (2011) is an Iranian drama written and directed by Asghar Farhadi. The film depicts the martial separation between a middle-class couple, Nadar (Peyman Moaadi) and his wife Simin (Leila Hatami). Simin wants the family to leave Iran to make a better life for their 10-year-old daughter Termeh, but Nadar does not want to leave his father who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. So Nadar refuses to go and also refuses to give permission for their daughter to leave. The film also depicts the conflict that results when Nadar allegedly pushes his father’s new, lower-income caregiver, Razieh (Sareh Bayat) down the stairs during an altercation, causing her to miscarry. A Separation centers around the two legal cases: the divorce proceedings between Nadar and Simin; and the criminal proceedings against Nadar. It provides a window not only into law in Iran but also into the complex forces of politics, class, and religion that shape modern Iranian society. To discuss this universally acclaimed and award-winning film, I’m joined by Golbarg Rekabtalaei, a professor of history at Seton Hall University and expert on Iran and Iranian cinema.

Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction
2:21 An introduction to Iranian cinema
7:21 The cosmopolitanism of Iranian cinema
10:45 Navigating government restrictions on cinema in Iran
14:17 The legal context for A Separation
16:18 Divorce law in Iran
20:09 The film’s opening scene
24:02 Abortion and criminal law in A Separation
31:13 Diyat (or “blood money” payments in Iran)
35:44 Criminal investigations and procedure in Iran
39:30 Imprisonment of debtors
41:44 A social drama that uses the court to broader themes
46:25 The Green Movement and the political context for the film
48:46 Other recommended films about Iranian law and society

Further reading:

Becker, Ben, “‘A Separation’: Exploring Class, Marriage, and Morality through Iranian Culture,” Cinemablography

Burke, Jospeh, “Rediscovering Morality through Asghar Farhadi’s ‘A Separation,’” Senses of Cinema (Dec. 2011)

Haqshenas, Saleh, Badiei, Sediqeh & Narmani, Hamid, “Iran's Perspective: A Deconstructive Analysis of "A Separation Movie" Through Application of Binary Opposition,” International Researchers vol 2, no. 1 (Mar. 2013)

Kirshner, Jonathan, “Secrets, Lies, and Censorship: The Revelation of Asghar Farhadi’s Films,” Boston Review (Aug. 14, 2024)

Rekabtalaei, Golbarg, Iranian Cosmopolitanism: A Cinematic History (2019)

Romig, Rollo, “Blood Money: Crime and Punishment in ‘A Separation,’” New Yorker (Feb. 24, 2012)

Law on Film is created and produced by Jonathan Hafetz. Jonathan is a professor at Seton Hall Law School. He has written many books and articles about the law. He has litigated important cases to protect civil liberties and human rights while working at the ACLU and other organizations. Jonathan is a huge film buff and has been watching, studying, and talking about movies for as long as he can remember.
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