Reza Mirkarimi’s DAUGHTER is a fantastic drama that will be a standout from the Cambridge Film Festival. Set in Iran, the film examines family relationships in a simple, pragmatic style and highlights a variety of themes within this context. Powerful and poignant, it is a film that will move and absorb audiences with its stunning realism and strong performances.

Traditional father Ahmad Azizi (Farhad Aslani) lives in a small Iranian town with his wife and two daughters. Strict and authoritarian, his daughter Setareh (Marhood Alvand) is left distraught when told she cannot go to Tehran to say goodbye to her best friend. Choosing to break away from her father’s authority, Setareh flies to Tehran without telling her parents. When bad weather strikes and she cannot fly home, she soon finds herself fearfully awaiting her father, who is furiously driving hundreds of miles to pick her up himself.

An impressive feature of Mirkarimi’s DAUGHTER is that it takes the plot in an unexpected, fascinating direction that goes beyond this synopsis, involving other family members and opening up a far more complex examination of the family’s dynamic. It excellently demonstrates that familial relationships are multifaceted and complicated, particularly that between a father and his daughter. How much control is too much? How do we measure freedom? How easy is it to forgive? These are questions approached throughout the film, but honourably never answered. Mirkarimi is leaving the audience to make up their own mind, he is not instructing.

This non-imposing, non-political approach to the film is clear from the very beginning. The film, attention-grabbing from the very first scene, begins by throwing the audience into a conversation between Setareh and her friends, who are vibrantly and noisily discussing university grades, relationships, and other conventional topics. Later on they discuss freedom, an issue questioned throughout the film. They frankly talk about how each of them considers themselves to be ‘free’, but it is important to note that they all have differing opinions. This is not a simplistic study of women’s roles in Iranian society.

… an extraordinary effort that remains in the mind long after it has been seen …

What’s more, though Ahmad is a traditional, Islamic father, this is not presented as a stereotype. In fact, part of the reason Setareh is so frustrated by her father is that none of her friends have quite the same concerns. Undeniably, this group of young women are independent in their own right. Though it is suggested that they are all in some way controlled by social and traditional expectations, they all have their own ideas on their independence, and this makes for engaging debate.

Furthermore, as the film goes beyond Setareh’s relationship with her father, the film becomes as much about Ahmad as it does his daughter. His character is developed openly, making him an absorbing subject. As we find out more about his family and issues from his past, his personality and actions are examined further, though never fully explained by Mirkarimi. This adds to the strength of the narrative.

The manner in which DAUGHTER is filmed makes for a powerfully told story, though never overbearing. This is in part due to Mirakimi’s stark, patient style, which relies heavily on his main actors. The camera will often linger on their faces, leaving a lot of meaning to come from the unsaid. Farhad Aslani does a terrific job as Ahmad, and much of his performance lingers on his wordless expressions. Though he is a strict and domineering father, his face will often show waves of confusion, leaving you to question his real intentions. Alvand delivers a strong performance which is both sympathetic and resolute, and there is a tour-de-force appearance from Merila Zare’i, who commands the screen in some of its tensest scenes.

Striking and captivating, DAUGHTER is a remarkable success from Mirkarimi, who is cementing himself as a prominent and skilful director. Patient and reflective, it is a film that will resonate with audiences for its unembellished, sincere examination of a family’s inner conflict. There is much that we can relate to, and much that we can take away from the film. It is an extraordinary effort that remains in the mind long after it has been seen.

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