A Separation parents guide

A Separation Parent Guide

Overall A-

Simin's (Leila Hatami) dream of a brighter future for her daughter (Sarina Farhadi) includes leaving her homeland, Iran. But her husband (Peyman Moaadi) won't even consider the idea because of his duty to take care of his aging father (Ali-Asghar Shahbazi). These conflicting goals threaten to separate the couple.

Release date January 19, 2012

Violence B
Sexual Content A-
Profanity B
Substance Use A

Why is A Separation rated PG-13? The MPAA rated A Separation PG-13 for mature thematic material.

Run Time: 123 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

“It is only a small problem,” says the official (Babak Karimi) when he dismisses Nader and Simin’s (Peyman Moadi and Leila Hatami) request for a divorce. But what he deems trivial feels like an irreconcilable difference to the couple.

Simin wants to leave their home country of Iran and seek a brighter future abroad for their daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi). She has worked a long time to get the required permits for the move, and now that the paperwork is done Nader refuses to come with them. He argues that he cannot abandon his duty to care for his aging father (Ali-Asghar Shahbazi), even though the Alzheimer’s sufferer usually can’t remember who his son is. Hoping to keep her parents together, Termeh diplomatically chooses to stay with her Dad when her Mom moves out, believing her mother will never leave the country without her.

Then, almost as if the official’s judgment was prophetic, a truly serious problem eclipses the spouses’ ongoing disagreement. A domestic dispute with a housekeeper (Sareh Bayat) temporarily hired to watch over Nader’s invalid father turns into accusations of elder neglect (from him) and employer abuse (from her). And when the pregnant maid miscarries, Nader is faced with the additional charge of murdering her unborn child.

The grave situation plays out against a backdrop of unbending social, political and religious laws, that are further complicated by male pride, strict women’s roles, mental illness and dire poverty. And the stakes are high. Nader could be facing a jail sentence. The housekeeper’s unemployed husband (Shahab Hosseini) could receive a cash settlement. Anxious to make their best case, each opponent resorts to desperate measures including harassing uncooperative witnesses and compromising their moral ethics. While the mounting pressure reveals the various individual’s virtues and vices, the fact remains that their fate rests in the hands of a single government official.

This foreign language film, with English subtitles, contains only a couple of violent scenes (a fistfight and a character hitting himself), a few profanities and mild depictions of elder abuse. Yet it likely won’t appeal to a younger audience because following the intricacies of the quiet plot requires a great deal of concentration. As well, appreciation will vary depending on the viewer’s understanding of the complex cultures depicted. Still, while I know I missed much of the significance of the subtle societal portrayals, I had no trouble interpreting the tenseness of the situation or relating to how minor moments of indiscretion can lead to major problems. Those willing to invest the effort will also find human foibles have no boundaries, and that life’s dilemmas are very much the same regardless of country or birth.

Directed by Asghar Farhadi. Starring Leila Hatami, Peyman Moaadi, Sareh Bayat. Running time: 123 minutes. Theatrical release January 19, 2012. Updated

A Separation
Rating & Content Info

Why is A Separation rated PG-13? A Separation is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for mature thematic material.

Violence: A scuffle occurs between a man and a woman. Quarreling men get into a brief fistfight and a bloody nose is shown. A desperate character angrily hits himself. A miscarried pregnancy is referred to. An elderly man’s safety is jeopardized through inattentive care. Mild harassment and property damage occur.

Sexual Content: An elderly man is seen shirtless and discussions occur about the removal of his clothing in order for him to use the bathroom.

Language: Infrequent mild profanities and one scatological slang term are used.

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A Separation Parents' Guide

This movie presents an interesting moral dilemma. Which is more important: The life of an unborn child or that of an elderly, infirmed adult? How do you feel? Although neither topic is addressed in the film, how does this question tie into the debates over abortion and euthanasia?

When it comes to the decision to divorce or stay together, whom does the responsibility fall upon in this script? Is that fair? If not, who do you think should be accountable? Does this scenario play out in other cultures and countries too?

The characters in this story could be accused of using situational ethics, meaning they let the circumstances dictate what moral rules they will apply. Do you feel that there are absolute values one should use to decide his or her conduct? Are there times when it is okay to bend those guidelines? Why are the characters portrayed here tempted to manipulate the way they recount the facts? Is not telling all the truth the same thing as lying?

A Separation received a lot off attention in the 2011 awards circles, where it won Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards and the Academy Awards.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of A Separation movie is August 20, 2012. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: A Separation

Release Date: 21 August 2012

A Separation releases to home video (Blu-ray) with the following bonus extras:

- Commentary with Asghar Farhadi

- An Evening with Asghar Farhadi

- Birth of a Director behind-the-scenes featurette

Related home video titles:

In Win Win an American man in deep financial trouble is tempted to bend a few rules. Children of Heaven depicts the struggles of another family living in Iran. A woman, who left Iran as a child, shares her immigrant experiences in the semi-autobiographical animation Persepolis.