The Seed of the Sacred Fig
A reflection of his country’s political landscape, Mohammad Rasoulof creates a climate of paranoia in The Seed of the Sacred Fig, a film about an examining magistrate whose gun disappears unexpectedly just as huge demonstrations erupt in Tehran. Within his previously close-knit family, a poisonous atmosphere sets in… (Festival information, Cannes, 2024)
When religion is associated with political power and patriarchy, it can destroy the most intimate relationships and the dignity of individuals, as this Iranian family drama embodies. The jury was impressed by the film’s rich symbolism, its generous and hopeful ending, its touches of humour and its heartbreaking tension. The subtlety and sobriety of its writing, both dramatic and filmic, make it a metaphor for any authoritarian theocracy.