The latest film from Iranian director Mani Haghighi, Les Ombres persanes arrives in cinemas on July 19. The man who made a name for himself with Valley of Stars, and who surprised audiences with one of his latest features Pig, released in 2018, here offers a dark thriller set in the heart of Tehran. Les Ombres persanes had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022.
The film stars actress Taraneh Alidoosti as Farzaneh, alongside Navid Mohammadzadeh as Jalal. Taraneh Alidoosti is particularly well known for her roles in films by director Asghar Farhadi, including The Client, which won the 2017Oscar for Best ForeignLanguage Film . The two lead actors had also previously co-starred in the magnificent drama Leila et ses frères.
Persian Shadows tells the story of a couple living in the heart of Teheran. Farzaneh is a driving instructor in the middle of a lesson when she sees her husband Jalal enter an unfamiliar apartment. What follows is an unexpected and unusual encounter: the couple find themselves face to face with their double. Between amazement and fear, the four protagonists become embroiled in a story of love and manipulation.
Our verdict:
Les Ombres persanes (The Persian Shadows) is wonderfully aptly named: it's impossible to find a more appropriate title for this film noir, where the mise-en-scène is sublimated by constant shadow play. Only what the director wishes to show us is brought to light, via flashing neon or dazzling white lights. It's all very eerie, leaving the viewer in thedark - and in the pouring rain - for most of the film.
The double is the film's central theme: Farzaneh and Jalal face up to all they are not - or all they could not be. Once again, the film's particular lighting reflects this idea of choice and decision. Although Les Ombres persanes may not appear from the outside to be particularly critical of the current political situation in Iran, its content is eminently political. Through the two female characters, the film illustrates the situation of women today and what could be. A permanent dichotomy between characters and mores permeates the film, evoking all the possibilities that arise from life choices - or lives that are imposed.
These reflections of the self stun, implying an element of mystery that remains unexplained - for the opposite would destroy the film's existence.
Les Ombres persanes dazzles with its meticulous direction and brilliant actors who manage to slip into the skin of two characters respectively. A dark political fable, this drama is not without its glimmers of hope. In the midst of all this darkness, Mani Haghighi 's vision of love is still bright.
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