Seed of the Sacred Fig: Layered Political Thriller

Seed of the Sacred Fig is a political drama that dizzies the audience with colliding dynamics of gender and power, resulting in a compelling thriller that juggles multiple themes at once.

Rating: 7.4/10

Highlights

• I appreciated hearing an important and relevant perspective I wasn't familiar with

• Convincing acting 

• Social media, though sometimes a distraction in serious cinema, was used effectively and impactfully 

Lowlights

• A bit too long — the crux of the plot didn't begin until around forty-five minutes in

• Perhaps tried to do too much with two complex themes 

• Limited in characters and locations

As if I was blindfolded, I never knew where Seed of the Sacred Fig was headed. The film's plot is broken into two parts, with the shorter first segment focused on the daughters' political actions in opposition to Iman's career obligations, while the second part takes a sharp turn to explore the family's inner turmoil as a metaphor for the broader disarray in Iranian society. I was thoroughly gripped throughout the film, but I wonder if the themes of gender and power were too much to take on in a single movie. The theme of women's roles in familial structures, a topic that isn't necessarily unique to Iran, felt unexplored to me, as the primary focus was on the political dynamics. However, Seed of the Sacred Fig was riveting, interesting, and moving. 

As an addendum, I want to recognize the cast and crew's incredible real-time bravery. The film was shot in secret, and the director was forced to flee the country shortly after filming. The result of their hard work is an insightful look into the very real oppression happening in Iran, and the courage of the cast and crew to create this story is remarkably admirable. 

Enjoyed Seed of the Sacred Fig? Watch Parasite, a foreign thriller that explores political dynamics in a similar yet contrasting way.

Watch the trailer!