Award-winning film Mohammad Rasoulof directs poignant thriller about Iranian resistance

Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, exiled since May 2024, is shaking up cinema with Seeds of the wild fig tree, a political and family thriller that won an award at the Cannes Film Festival. The film, which hits theaters on September 18, depicts the collapse of an Iranian family against the backdrop of social revolt following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, a key event in the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.

Through the story of Iman, an investigating judge in Tehran, Rasoulof subtly denounces the Iranian regime's repression. The film takes on an even more realistic dimension thanks to images filmed on a cellphone, capturing the demonstrations and police brutality. The disappearance of a service weapon in Iman's home thus becomes a striking metaphor for state violence, transforming this drama into a breathtaking thriller.

By mixing cinema and activism, Seeds of the wild fig tree illustrates a fierce rebellion against oppression, making this work as much an act of resistance as a cinematic masterpiece.

Alice Leroy