Interview: Director Asghar Farhadi Puts Together ‘A Separation’

Submitted by PatrickMcD on January 24, 2012 - 8:19pm

CHICAGO – One of the great surprises of today’s Oscar nominations was the Best Original Screenplay nod to writer/director Asghar Farhadi’s “A Separation.” It has already won the 2011 Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and also has been nominated for the same distinction at the upcoming Academy Awards.

“A Separation” is a window into the Iranian culture, but with human emotions and reactions that are universal. The implications of a couple separating in a patriarchal society like Iran is told with a surprising verve and sensitivity, especially towards the male characters, who are also complete victims of the moral circumstance. Farhadi’s film takes on themes of class, gender relations and aging with a reality that almost makes it seem like a documentary.

Leila Hatami (Simin) and Peyman Moadi (Nader) in Asghar Farhaidi’s ‘A Separation’
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classic

Asghar Farhadi was in Chicago the first week of the year, accepting the Best Foreign Language Film at the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards. During that time, he sat down with HollywoodChicago.com to talk through an interpreter about his remarkable, multi-award recognized film.

HollywoodChicago.com: What are the circumstances for making a film in Iran? Who has to approve the script and how do you go about getting location clearances?

Asghar Farhadi: If you want to make a film in Iran and have it shown in theaters, there is a process. When you write the film, you have to hand the screenplay to a committee that reviews it. This committee is comprised of representatives of the government, and they decide if it can be produced. When the film is done, there is also a ratings review, which is a separate committee. The process is a bit more complex than that, but I just wanted to give you the two most important steps.

HollywoodChicago.com: In the production notes, it indicated that you got the idea for this film by overhearing a conversation. In that sense, which of the characters or situations in the story is closest to you after you wrote the script?

Farhadi: Every time I see the film, I become close to different characters. Initially I was closest to the character of Nader, later I got closer to Simin. Sometimes I followed the film through the character of Razieh. But in the writing and producing process of the film, I tried to have the same distance with each of the characters, as I was making the film I didn’t want to get close to one or the other.

HollywoodChicago.com: To me, this is a story about the culture of women in Iran, giving one of the stunning decisions that have to take place near the conclusion. What event in your life gave you such insight to the compelling social position of women in Iran?

Farhadi: I can’t speak to that directly, in regards to my personal family life. But if you mean the Iranian environment and society, I draw a lot from that. I don’t look at people as men and women, I look at them as all human beings. In my opinion, it’s not due to their gender that people are doing what they’re doing. When we make the story about one gender versus another, we don’t give the characters enough respect.

HollywoodChicago.com: The indignities of old age are also prevalent as a theme in your film. What kind of regret were you highlighting through the sorrow of the old man?

Asghar Farhadi in Chicago, January 6th, 2012
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com

Farhadi: The explanation has two prongs. The story of the old man is based on my personal memories, I had a grandfather who I was very close to, a great hero in my life. He then got the disease, and I saw this great hero get smaller and smaller in my eyes. This was very painful and sad, because he wasn’t aware that this was happening to him. Also I think that not having a future is sad, but I realize after what happened to my grandfather that not having a past is also very dangerous.

HollywoodChicago.com: The husband character of Nader combines pride, shame, love, religion and fear into one incredible performance. How did you and Peyman Moadi collaborate in producing such a conflicted character?

Farhadi: This is actually quite simple. The people in this film have all the characteristics you listed. Any person has all these traits. It is in the context and the moment that you find the individual traits coming out, it is in a certain circumstance that you really get to know the person. What we tried to do is really build that circumstance, and let the person come out with the trait associated with it…is he proud, is he shamed, is he weak? It comes as the circumstances change, and the different facets of the person is illuminated.

HollywoodChicago.com: This is as much a story of economic class conflict – as symbolized by a middle class couple in divorce proceedings versus a poor pregnant woman trapped in a bad marriage. What advantages legally do the wealthy have in Iranian society, is it more advantageous than Western justice?

Farhadi: The issue of social class is different than how it exists here. That conflict between the classes exist in Iran, but it is more hidden and not as apparent. The group of people that are part of the middle class know the outside, modern world more and have a vision toward the future. The lower level classes are much more attached to the past and tradition. So in effect, this is a conflict between future and past.

HollywoodChicago.com: In your observation, what was the main difference in your film studies education in Iran versus a more Western approach? What was your first exposure to Western-style cinema and in what ways did it open your eyes?

Farhadi: Filmmaking all over the world has some things in common. Few filmmakers in the world have the freedom that they need to make the films they want. It could be the politically-based censorship prevalent in my country, or it could be the economic factors of the U.S. based film industry. These difficulties exist everywhere.

But the impact for me in Western-style cinema was how they created a dramatic film, in the capacity of storytelling. What I developed in my country and my style in addition to that is realism. In my films, I want to unite the two things, make it a drama through the lens of realism.

“A Separation” continues its limited release on January 27th. See local listings for show times and theaters. Featuring Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hamtami, Ali-Asgahr Shabazi, Sareh Bayat and Kimia Hosseni. Written and directed by Asghar Farhadi. Rated “PG-13”