Nimeh-ye Penhan (Iran,2001)
(The Hidden Half)
by
Tahmineh Milani
A lawyer is slated to meet a female accused seeking Presidential Pardon. As he leaves for Shiraz, his wife of long years tells him to be careful and ‘not judge too soon’, as was his wont.
In Shiraz, the lawyer finds a note from his wife in which she gives an account of her past. She had once been a communist , a student activist and been in love with an older man of letters. In this quite candid and bold letter, she goes into her then circumstances and how she had matured over the years. “You have never tried to know me, that is my sentimental side’’. In her story, she happens to encounter her ex-lover after many years, but all he had to say was she had perhaps judged him too soon, based only the account of his wife and without giving him an opportunity to explain himself.
The Hidden Half is a sensitive portrayal of an Iranian woman who has lived as a hunted Communist in the era of Islamic Revolution. Niki Karmini,Mohammad Nikbin have given good performances. The Director Tahmineh Milani was arrested for two weeks following the release of the film. Storytelling is smooth and nondramatic, and gives an authentic feel.
Comments
Post a Comment