Shot entirely in secret, Mohammad Rasoulof's award-winning thriller, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, centers on a family thrust into the public eye when Iman is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, making him increasingly paranoid and distrustful, even of his own wife Najmeh and daughters Sana and Rezvan.

Nominated for Best International Feature at the 2025 Academy Awards.

The Garden Cinema View:

Inspired by the events of the Iranian Woman Life Freedom movement, Mohammad Rasoulof's exquisitely crafted film serves as taut thriller, social commentary, and as a piece of activism. Rasoulof, like fellow Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, made this film in secret and smuggled it to European festivals. Appearing in the film without hijabs, three actresses have subsequently fled to Berlin to avoid persecution.

Despite a long running time, the narration never loses momentum with each action leading to irrevocable consequences and building to a grand, unpredictable finale. The direction is poised and controlled, never relying on elaborate production design, but rather allowing tension between parents and daughters to develop naturally. Rasoulof draws excellent performances from the entire cast, particularly Soheila Golestani, who delivers a compelling transformation from a submissive wife reinforcing regime attitudes to a radical ally of her awakened daughters.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the film is its ability to depict Iran's divided society without exterior scenes. In the family, each member represents one aspect of the revolution: the newly awakened young generation, those who work for the regime, and the initially complacent wife who slowly changes her attitude and understanding. In spite of this, The Seed of the Sacred Fig features nuanced characterisation; even the patriarch of the family, who represents the state and old values, is portrayed in a complex  manner.

Cast:
Soheila Golestani, Missagh Zareh, Setareh Maleki, Mahsa Rostami