44/26
Plot
Investigative judge Iman struggles with paranoia amid political unrest in Tehran
When his gun goes missing, he suspects draconian measures that are straining family ties. However, he is arrested in July 2022 after criticizing the government’s crackdown on protesters in the southwestern city of Abadan, Iran, over a deadly building collapse. On May 8, 2024, Rasouloff’s lawyer announced that he had been sentenced to eight years in prison, as well as flogging, a fine, and confiscation of his assets. On May 12, 2024, Rasouloff announced that he had managed to deceive Iran and was residing at an undisclosed location in Europe. On May 24, 2024, Rasouloff attended the film’s premiere in Cannes and held up photos of two of the film’s actors, Soheila Golestani and Missagh Zareh, on the red carpet.
Children think differently
Iman: Sana wants blonde hair? Painted nails? Why? Najmeh: The world has changed. Iman: The world has changed, but God has not.
Nor its laws
Najmeh: We have to learn them. Iman: We always have.. Closing credits: "Ficus Religiosa is a tree with an unusual life cycle. Its seeds, contained in bird droppings, fall to other trees. Aerial roots sprout and grow to the ground.
Finally, the sacred fig stands alone"
Then the branches wrap around the host tree and strangle it. Sacred Fig Seed was one of the most anticipated premieres at Cannes because of the backstory of its creation. A film shot in secret in Iran, which led to its director and actors being sentenced to prison and flogging. So could the film live up to expectations despite the complicated production? What followed was not a film, it was a MOLOTOVL COCKTAIL!
Women, Life, Freedom!
An incredibly brave, powerful and moving story about morality, paranoia and resistance. In the third act, people were talking, but to me it makes perfect sense in its symbolic context. If Rasoulof and his team had already received a big round of applause for the film’s background before the film, the emotional applause after the screening was even more enthusiastic, and they were also encouraged by Iranian director and fellow Palme contender Ali Abassi, who encouraged the crowd to stand up and cheer. The Seed of the Scared Fig, unfortunately, did not win the Palme d’Or in the end, and had to settle for a smaller Special Jury Prize. But still, it would have been my choice for the main prize and won my heart and the hearts of many others.