By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Mohammad Rasoulof
Starring: Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy | Leyla Zareh | Roya Taymourian | Shahab Hosseini
Original language title: Bé omid é didar
Country: iran
Year: 2012
Running time: 100
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1926992/
Michael says: “Saw my first film at the New Directors/New Films Festival in NYC this weekend, and it was powerful. Noora is a young woman living in Iran who is in some sort of trouble. She has been barred from practicing law, her husband is in the deserts to the south of the city operating a crane, whether voluntarily or not we do not know, she is pregnant and unsure if she wants the baby, and she’s trying to leave her country by obtaining a visa from a Mr. Loftig through less than legal means. Of course, the point of GOODBYE is how living in Iran is akin to living in an open prison, particularly for women, and that point is well illustrated in Mohammad Rasoulof’s film.
“Like many Iranian films, GOODBYE moves along at a deliberate pace, but Rasoulof delivers pieces of information sparingly, leaving the viewer eager and compelled to follow the story as Noora moves through her life. There is a mild background undercurrent of tension, that slowly rises until just after the midpoint of the film, some Iranian authorities arrive to search Noora’s apartment. Even then, while the threat is present, we are unsure of why they are there, what they are looking for, or how much danger Noora is actually in.
“Rasoulof has created a beautiful film visually, using color, sound, close-ups and camera angles that capture everyday occurrences with a tinge of claustrophobia. The performances, particularly Leyleh Zareh as Noora, are subtle yet powerful. Shahab Hosseini, recently nominated for a Chlotrudis Award for his work in A SEPARATION also appears in the film, but I can’t be positive who he played! It is the women who tell the story in GOODBYE, and show just how powerless and beleaguered they truly are in Iranian society. Rasoulof was recently imprisoned for six years along with fellow filmmaker Jafar Panahi for ‘propagandising against the regime’ and it’s surprising that this film has seen light of day (much less the darkness of a cinema.) It’s a powerful indictment against Iranian society, and while it may come across as too bleak, or depressing for some, this is the kind of film I truly relish. 4 1/2 cats”