“Life and a Day” (Abad va Yek Rooz) is an Iranian drama film directed and written by Saeed Roustayi in the year 2016. This essay analyzes how Roustayi addresses family relations and issues of poverty, drug addiction, and social pressure in the context of an otherwise ordinary Iranian working-class family through this award-winning piece.
Synopsis
The drama focuses on Somayeh, portrayed by Parinaz Izadyar, a youngest daughter from a poor family. Families would want to get their daughters married to Afghan men primarily because they would be dowried. in this situation, Somayeh’s family views her prospective marriage as a means of income. This fraternal tension is maintained in an understated way by Sang’s other siblings, who each have their own problems to deal with that make such anger understandable:
- Nasser (Navid Mohammadzadeh), the eldest brother, suffers from an addiction though is now in recovery, strives to lead the family while battling being ridiculed outside the home.
- Mohammad (Peyman Maadi), a brother, is embroiled in arguments about the prospect of marriage to Somayeh, who attracts far too much emphasis from the entire clan.
All of this prepares the audience for the emotional rollercoaster that the characters are likely to face when they are all at a wedding and have to deal with old problems which they thought were long gone.
Cast and Key Performances
- Parinaz Izadyar as Somayeh: Izadyar is superb in this role especially when the character has to flit between being headstrong and submissive as she resented being torn between personal and family expectations.
- Navid Mohammadzadeh as Nasser: This actor was especially liked because he portrayed a caring elder brother with imperfections.
- Peyman Maadi as Mohammad: Maadi portrays the character of the brother in a very complex emotional state.
The shared performance of the ensemble cast increases the effect of the storyline by making one feel the unbearable tribulations of the family viscerally.
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Themes
Life and a Day revolves around the central concept of :
- Family and Sacrifice: The film examines what sacrifices the family member is willing to do and what price these sacrifices take on the individual’s freedom.
- Addiction and Redemption: For the protagonist Nasser, his disease of addiction carries stigma as well as his efforts to seek redemption in society that is harsh.
- Gender and Tradition: The problem that Somayeh faces is representative of the limitations imposed on women in patriarchal systems.
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Aesthetic Style
Roustayi resorts to a realist style characterized by:
- Handheld cameras to depict the close-up scenes of family members interactions which are rather personal in nature.
- Natural lighting as a means for neutrality and incorporating the grimness of the story.
- ***Cinematography- tight shots of the family’s house designed to capture the suffocating nature of their physical home which reflects their internal conflicts.
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Critical Reception
- **Awards: Life and a Day’s’ history is embellished with a number of awards such as *Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor (Navid Mohammadzadeh)* which was awarded to the picture at the Fajr Film Festival in the year of 2016.
- Praise: Critcs focused on the realistic and raw perspective about love and conflicts around a family offering comparisons to Asgahr Farhadi’s films (A Separation).
- Impact: The film was welcomed positively by Iranian audiences regarding its depiction of socioeconomic status and social relations of families.
Availability
For instance, *”Life and a Day,” the movie, can now be streamed on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play Movies apart from some other sites. Availability is based on some regions.
Recommendations for Similar Films
If the film Life and a Day appealed to you, then you should try watching:
- “A Separation” (2011): An Iranian drama focusing on family and social relationships of an Iranian couple, and the trouble that leads to a courtroom clash.
- “The Salesman” (2016): Another film by Farhadi exploring trauma and ethical questions in marriage.
- “Children of Heaven” (1997): An adorable tale regarding the teen relationship of the siblings, children growing up in a family with less economic support.