Sundance Movie Review: Joyous 'Persian Version' Is Feelgood Movie Of Fest
© Sundance Institute Laila Mohammadi (left) and Nyusha Nour dance with their relatives. Image courtesy of the Sundance InstituteJan. 26 (UPI) -- The Persian version, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, is a poignant story about a mother and her daughter. Using tried and tested cinematic techniques and breaking some storytelling rules, the Persian version is pure heart on screen .
Laila (Laila Muhammad) tells the story of her Iranian-American family. Speaking directly into the camera, Lila also talks about her new flashback self (Chiara Stella).
When America welcomed doctors from Iran, his parents moved to New York. By the mid-1980s, the two countries were at war and both sides were unhappy with Leela.
Leila describes the American-Iranian conflict through films and cartoons. Laila visits her family and helps them smuggle American music.
The tone of the Persian translation is so interesting that it is fun to learn about the history and family struggles. For example, the cast performs a Cyndi Lauper dance when Lila brings them a cassette.
In the 1980s, Leela Alireza's father (Bijan Danishmand) suffers from a heart problem that requires a transplant and ends his medical career. The first hospitalization puts the family in $200,000 in debt, leading to a storyline for Lilan's mother, Shireen (Nyusha Noor).
The American medical industry is experiencing a culture shock. Americans simply expect people with medical debt to file for bankruptcy and start over. This Iranian family cannot reconcile that with their values.
But that leads Sheer to a real estate course, which requires her to get her GED. Shireen has managed to support the family through the real estate business, as evidenced by Shireen's powerful montage of selling houses to multiple families.
There is a feeling of "and then this happened, and then this happened". However, due to its good energy, it moves quickly, quickly accelerating the audience and informing about current conflicts.
In her autobiography, Laila describes aspects of Persian culture such as Imam Zimam, who in her version became the hero of the event. In addition to speaking to the camera, Leila sometimes films her performance or pauses in a scene where the actors are "frozen" but still trying to get up.
Currently, Sherine Laila does not accept being gay. Leila is a filmmaker separated from her best friend Elena (Mia Foo).
Alireza finally gets her new heart after decades on the transplant list, so Leela stays at home with her grandmother, Mamanju (Bella Warda), while most of the family waits in the hospital.
Through Mamanjo, Leela learns more about her mother's childhood experiences. Shireen breaks the fourth wall to tell her story with fun and strategic flashbacks as well as a more emotional twist.
There are many other mysteries that help bridge the gap between generations and cultures. There is no easy fix, but there is progress.
Writer/director Maryam Keshavarz transforms her autobiography into a unique film. The Persian version is an exciting and entertaining film that will appeal to audiences as well as parents or children.
Fred Topple, who attended Ithaca College Film School, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a critic for Rotten Tomatoes since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012. Read more about his career in the entertainment industry.
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