The Seed of the Sacred Fig

★★★★ “Its courage – and relevance – are beyond doubt” The Guardian

A gripping family political drama from Iran, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is directed by Mahamed Rasoulof (Manuscripts Don’t Burn, There Is No Evil) who was forced to flee Iran over anxieties for his safety following the film’s completion. Its story is of Iman (Missagh Zareh) whose career as a judge is rapidly advancing. Yet the price for this is increasing complicity with the regime, waving through death sentences without considering the evidence. His daughters and wife (played by actor and anti-hijab protester Soheila Golestani) begin to ask charged questions that come to a head with the mysterious disappearance of a handgun, the first of a series of shocking revelations that will rock the family.

One of the most feted films at this year’s Cannes film festival, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is also now a major contender for the Oscar for best international film. But more than that, it is a human story of how authoritarian regimes take insidious hold of individuals. With no simple answers and with everyone in the family implicated, this is a compelling portrait that stands alongside the best of Iranian cinema.