Latest news with #WomanAndChild
The National
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Woman and Child review: Iran's other Cannes Palme d'Or nominee should not be ignored
Following Jafar Panahi's Palme d'Or winner It Was Just An Accident, Woman and Child was the second Iranian film to play in this year's Cannes Film Festival main competition – and deserves to garner as much attention. Directed by Saeed Roustaee, it's another forceful work to come out of Iranian cinema at a time when filmmakers are under constant pressure in their homeland. In the case of Roustaee, he was given a suspended six months prison sentence for submitting his 2022 work Leila's Brothers to Cannes without making the necessary changes to appease the Ministry of Culture. His new film, Woman and Child, comes with an in-baked anger against the Iranian authorities. On the surface, it's a portrait of a single mother-of-two, living in modern-day Tehran. Mahnaz (Parinaz Izadyar) is an overworked nurse who's life is all harassment and little pleasure. She lives with her mother and younger sister Mehri (Soha Niasti), who lends a hand raising her two kids, the adorable Neda (Arshida Dorostkar) and the mischievous 14-year-old, Aliyar (Sinan Mohebi). Even Mahnaz's romantic life is anything but easy. After her husband passed away, she has been dating Hamid (Payman Maadi), an ambulance driver at the hospital where she works. He wants her to marry, given they have been together for two years, but she is refusing his proposals. Worse is to come, given Aliyar's behaviour at school. 'Your son is a monster' she is told, and he's certainly out of control, whether he's bullying other kids or posting videos of his frazzled teachers online. At one point, he idly breaks off a matchstick in the slot of a padlock, which chains the school gates, moments before crowds of children swarm to leave for the day. It leads to utter chaos, beautifully captured by Roustaee, who truly shows his cinematic eye throughout this film. Another striking moment comes as Aliyar runs down the stairs of his apartment block, the camera glancing down to show the cavernous interior, with its checkered floor, to some degree foreshadowing the fatal events to come. Woman and Child hinges on a midpoint narrative moment, a tragic event that changes everything, when Aliyar dies after falling from a window. At this point, he's being looked after by his grandfather (Hassan Pourshirazi), while Mahnaz is elsewhere, dealing with her potential future in-laws. Was it the grandfather's fault? The second hour of Woman and Child spirals as Mahnaz begins pursuing a legal case against her former father-in-law, as she plunges into Iran's byzantine legal system. You might call Woman and Child a melodrama, although the drama itself feels very real. While it's not as gripping as A Separation, Asghar Farhadi's award-winning tale about a couple undergoing divorce in modern-day Iran, it still engages with the complexities of Iranian law, and moral questions of guilt and responsibility. But as the title suggests, Roustaee's film is very much about the female experience, and the bond of a mother with her offspring. Arguably it's this that feels radical, a film that gives us the perspective of a modern-day Iranian woman navigating a patriarchal society. And this portrait of an independent woman, living, surviving and eventually grieving in today's Tehran, shows plenty of rebellious spirit. An important social work, this Palm D'Or winner would have been just as deserving of Cannes's top prize.
Malay Mail
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Hijabs, permits and suspense: Iranian director Saeed Roustaee unsure if he can go home after Cannes
'Woman and Child' in running for Cannes' top prize One of two films from Iran competing in 22-strong pool Director says he observed boundaries to avoid issues CANNES, May 24 — Iranian filmmaker Saeed Roustaee said on Friday that he was careful in how he shot his Cannes Film Festival entry 'Woman and Child', which never shows women without the mandatory hijab, but was still unsure how he would be received when he returned home. 'Last time, they took my passport,' said the 35-year-old about his last appearance at the festival in southern France, for competition title 'Leila's Brothers' in 2022. 'This time, I hope they don't. I just want to go home.' Roustaee had also been handed a six-month suspended sentence over that film for showcasing it without Tehran's authorisation. The director said that facing a sentence places a heavy burden not only on the person, but all their friends and family. 'Maybe you can handle it yourself, but when you see that your elderly parents can't, it hurts more,' he told journalists. His new film, 'Woman and Child,' stars Parinaz Izadyar as single mother Mahnaz, whose decision to marry her boyfriend Hamid kicks off a series of events culminating in tragedy. Roustaee obtained a permit for the new film, because without it, there was no way he was going to be able to shoot, he said. 'I don't know to what extent I'm self-censoring, but ultimately, I live in Iran,' the director said. 'I'm making films in Iran, and I very much want people to see my films on the big screen. So probably, I am observing certain boundaries so that my films can make it to the screen.' 'Woman and Child,' which premiered on Thursday, is one of two Iranian films competing for the Palme d'Or top prize this year, the other being 'It Was Just An Accident' by Jafar Panahi. Panahi, who does not apply for government approval, also plans to return to Iran to begin work on his new film even though he only recently was allowed to travel after 15 years. In total, 22 films are competing for the award this year. — Reuters
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iranian Director Saeed Roustaee's ‘Woman And Child' Gets 10-Minute Ovation In Cannes Debut
Iranian filmmaker Saeed Roustaee had the afternoon competition slot at the Cannes Film festival for his latest movie Woman and Child, which got an 10-minute ovation after it screened Thursday. Roustaee and star Parinaz Izadyar were among those in attendance for the premiere. More from Deadline 'Woman And Child' Review: Iran's Saeed Roustaee Delivers A Fiery Feminist Portrait Of A Woman Who Refuses To Be Pushed Aside – Cannes Film Festival Joachim Trier's 'Sentimental Value' Wows Cannes In Premiere, Gets Extraordinary 19-Minute Ovation 'I Only Rest In The Storm' Clip: Portuguese Un Certain Regard Title Delves Into Neo-Colonialism & International NGOs - Cannes A 10 minute standing ovation for Iranian director Saeed Roustayee's 'Woman and Child' starring Parinaz Izadyar | #Cannes2025 — Deadline (@DEADLINE) May 22, 2025 The story follows Mahnaz (Parinaz Izadyar), a 40-year-old widowed nurse who is about to re-marry; she is also struggling with her rebellious son, Aliyar (Sinan Mohebi), who has been suspended from school. Family tensions reach a peak during a betrothal ceremony with her intended Hamid (Payman Maadi), and a tragic accident occurs. In the aftermath, Mahnaz will be forced to confront betrayal and loss, and to embark on a quest for justice. Roustaee has previously said that Mahnaz's character 'screamed in his mind' and told the festival, 'The film tells the story of a woman fighting all the men who made her live in a patriarchal society that deprived her of all her rights, including that of a mother.' Roustaee, who also wrote the screenplay for Woman and Child, was last in the Cannes Film Festival Competition with Leila's Brothers in 2022. That film resulted in a six-month prison sentence and a five-year filming ban for Roustaee as imposed by the Islamic regime. The star of that movie, Taraneh Alidoosti, was sentenced to five years in prison after publishing a photo of herself without her hijab. In both cases, the sentences were eventually lifted. According to the Cannes festival, for Woman and Child, Roustaee complied with certain restrictions, but maintains that he has not made a propaganda film, rather a film about social resistance. Woman and Child is released in France via Diaphana; sales are with Goodfellas. Best of Deadline Every 'The Voice' Winner Since Season 1, Including 9 Team Blake Champions Everything We Know About 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' So Far 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Iran's Roustaee concerned about return home despite cautious Cannes film
CANNES, France, May 23 (Reuters) - Iranian filmmaker Saeed Roustaee said on Friday that he was careful in how he shot his Cannes Film Festival entry "Woman and Child", which never shows women without the mandatory hijab, but was still unsure how he would be received when he returned home. "Last time, they took my passport," said the 35-year-old about his last appearance at the festival in southern France, for competition title "Leila's Brothers" in 2022. "This time, I hope they don't. I just want to go home." Roustaee had also been handed a six-month suspended sentence over that film for showcasing it without Tehran's authorisation. The director said that facing a sentence places a heavy burden not only on the person, but all their friends and family. "Maybe you can handle it yourself, but when you see that your elderly parents can't, it hurts more," he told journalists. His new film, "Woman and Child," stars Parinaz Izadyar as single mother Mahnaz, whose decision to marry her boyfriend Hamid kicks off a series of events culminating in tragedy. Roustaee obtained a permit for the new film, because without it, there was no way he was going to be able to shoot, he said. "I don't know to what extent I'm self-censoring, but ultimately, I live in Iran," the director said. "I'm making films in Iran, and I very much want people to see my films on the big screen. So probably, I am observing certain boundaries so that my films can make it to the screen." "Woman and Child," which premiered on Thursday, is one of two Iranian films competing for the Palme d'Or top prize this year, the other being "It Was Just An Accident" by Jafar Panahi. Panahi, who does not apply for government approval, also plans to return to Iran to begin work on his new film even though he only recently was allowed to travel after 15 years. In total, 22 films are competing for the award this year.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Woman And Child' Director Saeed Roustaee Hints At Fears Of Arrest In Iran Over Cannes Film: 'I Hope I'll Be Able To Go Back Safely'
Saeed Roustaee has revealed that he wonders whether he will be arrested on his return to his native Iran following the premiere of his female-focused drama Mother and Child in Competition in Cannes this week. 'The last time I went back, my passport was confiscated. I hope I'll be able to go back safely. I don't know whether I'll be arrested but I certainly hope not,' the Iranian director told the press conference for the film on Friday. More from Deadline 'Woman And Child' Review: Iran's Saeed Roustaee Delivers A Fiery Feminist Portrait Of A Woman Who Refuses To Be Pushed Aside – Cannes Film Festival Iranian Director Saeed Roustaee's 'Woman And Child' Gets 10-Minute Ovation In Cannes Debut Iranian 'My Favourite Cake' Filmmakers Receive Suspended Jail Sentence & Fines For Showing Actress Without Hijab Roustaee fell foul of Iran's Islamic Regime authorities in 2023, after he screened his last film Leila's Brothers in Cannes without their permission. As well as being slapped with a travel ban, he was sentenced to six-month prison sentence and a five-year shooting ban, which were commuted on appeal. Roustaee has returned to the festival with the legal permits in place, and a film shot in adherence with the regime's stipulation that women must appear on screen with a hijab head covering, regardless of whether the scene is in a public place or private setting. This move has drawn criticism from parts of the Iranian filmmaking community in the light of the Women Life Freedom movement calling for democracy for women in Iran, and Roustaee faced tough questions at the press conference, with one journalist asking him if he was self-censoring. Roustaee replied his storytelling followed in a tradition of other Iranian directors who have sought to make social films over the last 45 years, implying since the event of the Islamic Republic in 1979. 'I don't know, whether I am self-censoring myself. I'm 35 years old. I've lived in Iran for 35 years. I'm familiar with Iranian cinema and I'm a result of this social cinema that we've had for the last 45 years. I'm following in the footsteps of other Iranian film makers. This is a tradition I've inherited,' he said. 'I don't know to what extent I indulge in self-censorship, but I do make my films in Iran, and I would like Iranians to be able to go to see my movies in a movie theaters in Iran. So, no doubt I'm careful about certain things to ensure that my film will be released.' Quizzed about the harsh vision of Iranian society that his film depicts, with a glimmer of hope at the end, Roustaee said: ' If my films are bitter, that reflects Iranian society, if Iranian society was very well and happy, then I would make a portrait of that society.' Best of Deadline Every 'The Voice' Winner Since Season 1, Including 9 Team Blake Champions Everything We Know About 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' So Far 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
