It often requires a lot of intentional effort to avoid letting work pressure spill over to the home. However, even the most mature of people frequently fail at this. For Iman, an investigative judge who is the central character in the acclaimed Iranian movie,The Seed of the Sacred Fig, the weight of a new responsibility not only tears his family apart but drives him to full-blown paranoia.The Seed of the Sacred Figfirst premiered atCannesearly this year, where it made an instant impression and went on to win a Special Award, competing for the festival’s coveted Palme d’Or. The movie has remained a critical darling at other festivals and now, the rest of us can get a sneak peek thanks to the first trailer from NEON.
Set against the backdrop of civil andpolitical unrestin Tehran, Iran,The Seed of the Sacred Figexamines the state of Iranian society through the eyes of its central family. The family is thrust into the public eye when its patriarch receives a promotion to become an investigative judge. As the political landscape heats up, Iman loses the gun given to him by the authorities for self-defense and soon realizes that his job is more dangerous than he anticipated. His once-loving family is torn apart as a paranoid Iman suspects his wife Najmeh and daughters Sana and Rezvan for stealing his gun and begins to rule them with an iron fist.
The stunning trailer from NEON teases a gripping and intense spectacle. In the trailer, Imran has always wanted this promotion, and his family is proud of this latest achievement but also perceives that it might come with dangerous repercussions.Intimate familysettings represent the calm before the storm as things soon turn toxic. Amid the chaos at home, it appears Imran has found himself deep in a giant conspiracy as a government rep is seen scolding him for letting his family know about the new job. It all seems like a plot to indict a good man and Imran appears unwilling to go down without a fight.
How Good Is ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’?
Critics have had nothing but praise for the film from the audacious Iranian filmmaker,Mohammad Rasoulof,who shot the movie entirely in secret. It currently has aRotten Tomatoesrating of 93% and Collider’sChase Hutchinsondeems it “a fearless work of art”, one that he urges everyone to experience. An excerpt fromhis utterly glowing reviewreads:
“There are only a handful of films you’ll see in a lifetime that will capture a moment in time with a fraction of the same clarity, conviction, and compassion as Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig. It’s a remarkable, revolutionary work of art. As precisely focused and tightly constructed as it is expansive in its aspirations, it’s a rallying cry for the irreplaceable value of artistic expression in a world that will repress it at all costs.”
A fierce critic of his government, writer-directorRasoulof is renowned for using his art as a tool of resistance against the theocraticstate.The Seed of the Sacred Figjoins a growing list of such movies, includingThe Twilight,Iron Island,Head Wind,The White Meadows,Goodbye, andManuscripts Don’t Burn, among others.
NEON will releaseThe Seed of the Sacred Figin select US theaters starting June 01, 2025.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
The Seed of the Sacred Fig explores a young man’s transformative journey as he abandons his urban life to embrace the teachings of self-realization in a rural Indian ashram. Immersed in spiritual practices and guided by a revered guru, he confronts inner conflicts and seeks enlightenment amidst nature’s serene backdrop.
