Asghar Farhadi’s About Elly

Screening: Wed, Apr 29, 1:15PM - Sat, May 02, 3:15PM - Sun, May 03, 10:15AM

I should perhaps first mention that (according to what I have read) About Elly is an updated take on Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’Aventura.  I have never seen L’Aventura (I know I know) so I am unable to really look at the film through that lens but on its own I found the film to be quite powerful in terms of storytelling and message (for those looking at it through the L’Aventura lens, the results seems to be mixed)

The film tells the story of a group of friends (married and related and with children) who decide to reunite for a weekend outing by the Caspian Sea. The only newcomer to the group is Elly, who was brought on the trip in hopes of setting her up with the recently divorced Ahmad.  Despite the accumulation of little lies between them all, the group has a fun time, that is until Elly disappears. The film on the surface the film is a fairly typical drama about relationships and tragedy but underneath the film is actually talking about a lot of important stuff:

1. The group of Iranians we meet are the “oft-overlooked” middle class.  When people think Iran they often think about the government or those that are suffering because of the government. It is important to remember those in the middle and to see and hear them.
2. The film explores the complexity of embracing a more free lifestyle while still trying to abide by certain religious and social customs.  Seeing how a tragic event affects a group of people who appear to be open minded and beyond “old ways” is extremely interesting and informative about Iranian culture
3. The role of women in Iranian family and social life is something the film highlights. Watching the characters change as plot progresses is somewhat heartbreaking and the actual ending is extremely heartbreaking.  The film really allows one to relate to the women on screen and their struggle for independence and respect.

All of those things make About Elly more than worth 2 hours of your time - especially as Iran continues to make the news and we as a country seek a more peaceful world.