the third act here is the best horror film of the year. an almost unbearably excruciating escalation of tension over the course of three hours made all the more affecting thanks to the inclusion of real world terrors occurring simultaneously. urgent, unforgettable filmmaking.

Art as the match that lights the fuse to the dynamite of change. This is why movies matter. Overwhelmed by the courage from the entire cast & crew, hope everyone gets a chance to see this.

my obsession with movies where sisters gathers and decide that it’s time to tell their dad to fuck off will never cease I fear

Free Iran, Free Palestine, free our hearts and minds from the tyranny of weak men and their fears.

Mohammad Rasoulof has crafted one of the best & most courageous films of the year. THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG is a riveting familial drama where modern & traditional values clash in present-day Iran, building to a tense climax. Features outstanding performances from Soheila Golestani, Missagh Zareh, Mahsa Rostami & Setareh Maleki. How Rasoulof uses real-life cellphone footage of the protests taking place in his home country (which he was forced to flee) today is undeniably powerful helping to make this defiant, carefully plotted film an urgent work of heroic activism.

The last act shift is a little too chaotic and I do wish some of the characters were more than their initial beats entail—but the craft and courage required to make this film is so overwhelming.

“I want my family back.”

It is, frankly, wonderful that The Seeds of the Sacred Fig exists at all. It is remarkable that the director managed to make it to Cannes, fleeing exile from Iran. This is an important, urgent, notable and worthy work. With all of that in mind, it is perhaps too much to expect that it is actually good.

To be fair, the film mostly works. And that is no small thing, given all the pressures acting upon it. However, it is also perhaps a little much to build a three hour movie around eighty minutes explaining the current situation in Iran and then building a ninety-minute metaphor for the things you just explained. If anything, the logical approach would be to flow in the opposite direction.

It doesn’t help that all of this builds to a climax that ultimately feels like a knock-off of The Shining and Scooby Doo.

The only time IG reels is used for a good thing


Horrifying paranoia and oppression. A stunning work that must be viewed, simply for the grueling nature it took to get us to be able to.

I really thought I’d love this, so I’m surprised to say I thought this was just good, not great. The story fails to deepen after the half way point and I can’t understand some of the characters’ choices.

On the plus side this was a fairly gripping and at times fascinating portrait of modern day Iran portrayed through a family’s fragmented dynamics. The mother was the most interesting and nuanced. Performances were great, and it was well directed. Definitely worth seeing.

I can’t speak to this personally but I do feel this is unchallenging to a western audience and wonder if there was a missed opportunity to be more thought provoking.

Rest in peace, Anton Chekhov. 🔫 You would've loved sister Sana.