The Seed of the Sacred Fig
An investigating judge struggles with paranoia amid political unrest in Tehran caused by the death of a young woman. When his gun goes missing, he suspects his wife and daughters, imposing harsh measures that fray family ties.
rg9400 reviewed
February 4, 2025•
The Seed of the Sacred Fig is an important movie, but one I struggled with. Utilizing footage from the real-life political unrest in Tehran and Iran at large in regards to the way women are treated, the movie depicts the societal rebellion against the backdrop of the upheaval within a single family. The family acts as a microcosm of the larger country, an ambitious and admirable premise. Indeed, early on, the movie introduces a college-aged female friend to the two daughters who acts as a more tangible window into the riots, and the interaction between her, the progressive daughters, and the mother who is more traditional and trying to keep the family unit together while still sympathizing with her own children is compelling, especially when dealing with the father who works for the investigative arm of the government. The problem is that this movie is way too long. It clocks in at almost 3 hours, and it honestly only needs half that runtime. A lot of the scenes aren't utilized to build tension, character, or thematic depth, instead often feeling like the camera just lingers too long on narratively inert shots. It honestly undercuts the tension quite a bit. As the movie progresses into its second half, the family's struggles also start to feel more divorced from what is happening at large, making the events feel less thematically rich and more like standard family drama. The ending scene almost feels like a farce to me due to how little tension remains by that time and how separated the story has become from the larger social commentary. I think stronger editing would have helped the movie build tension while also remaining more focused because there are individual scenes in this movie that are phenomenal. However, despite my issues, once the ending montage finished, I did respect what this movie set out to do, all in secret of a government that would not approve. This movie gives a glimpse into the culture of a country that often feels obscured, and it illustrates that there are people who are demanding better, both in the streets as well as within their own homes. That deserves applause.