Maryam Keshavarz Arab American debut with a story of two conditions, the young woman's struggle for social norms Tehranian. As in, bleeding from a teenage rebellion revolution (or revolution-CONS here): Kazemy Sarah, daughter of intellectuals have disappeared, and go Nikohl Boosheri, whose parents are rich and connected, hanging on to help a friend to share illegal milk dub Persian. Parallels between the rebels and their culture, their milk is controversial, but the film is the secret to the resonance of two women, whose life has begun to turn sexual friendship.
The implications of this debate reverberates through the story of Ms. Keshavarz says plans to inform two of the emotion and its forays into education. A product of the Iranian diaspora - the director and most of the players make their homes in the West - "made" attempts to capture aspects of life in Iran, which is beyond the scope of the filmmakers of the country to work in the codes censorship and secrecy.
Although the lack of guile, head down immediacy "The Circle" and "Offside", Jafar Panahi film on women in Tehran - and a lot of frenzy Bahman Ghobadi "No One Knows The Persian cat" on the underground music scene Tehran - "circumstance" with indignant energy lines of the rebellion of youth. Coming two years after the protests that convulsed Iran after the presidential elections of 2009-and the center of revolutionary agitation, regional, it is undeniable topical resonance. But Ms. Keshavarz is less interested in public demonstrations of political commitment in the way of power and religious authority, in particular, the intimacy of family, lovers and friends influence.
Atafeh (Nikohl Boosheri) and Shireen (Sarah Kazemy) are friends of the school that the disease develops in erotic passion. Shireen, stigmatized by the situation of dissidents to their deceased parents, who live on the edge of poverty, while Atafeh tempered by his family's wealth and privilege. His parents, a doctor and a businessman balancing a taste for luxury with a personalized quote. At home, drinking wine, listening to Western classical music and say what you think. But I also agree that the restrictions that her daughter is intolerable. "One day we will all be able to swim together," says Atafeh father, Firouz (Soheil Parsa), during a trip to the sea, but seems unable to do more than wish for a time when women can go to water . Shireen and yet is likely, however, implacable, to take matters into their own hands, stripping her underwear and splashing of waves on a deserted beach at dawn Atafeh.
This is the first film Ms. Keshavarz, and wallow in its own sense of freedom, building with striking scenes of sexual energy, and some - including a fantasy sequence in heels and lingerie - to lean towards soft-core smooth. But communicating effectively poisoning Atafeh mutual Shireen, enjoy and share their appreciation of the beauty of each and Monica Bellucci renewable Kazemy similar properties.
Serpent in the Garden of Delights is Mehran (Sixo Reza Safai) Atafeh brother, a former musician and recovering drug addicts, whose embrace of the rigid morality of Muslims threatened easy, the hypocrisy of the harmony that has protected the family . His interest Shireen, a little disconcerting to begin to grow less sweet and darker as the film progresses to the final crisis. It reflects, perhaps too schematic, one of the main themes that Ms. Keshavarz authoritarianism has its roots in religious and dedicated to the patriarchal control of women.
The "circumstances" makes this point with power and undeniable conviction, and also a drama that is about the telenovelas. Cook the boiling passions, and the results are messy. But if the excess and lack of discipline are not counted as errors in the film, which also represents the same principles that are necessary to defend. A slogan from another era of student revolt was "to be realistic: demand the impossible," Ms. Keshavarz and indifference of some of the conventions of realism is very simple in the mind. The "circumstances" sometimes feels like too much, but in response to dogmatism and refusal to feel good.
