As an advocate for free speech, I’ve witnessed numerous filmmakers courageously defending this principle by creating films that critique the social and political landscapes of their countries. Unfortunately, many of these filmmakers face dire consequences, such as imprisonment, execution, or exile, as seen in the case of Mohammad Rasoulof. It’s disheartening to observe these recurring injustices in today’s world.
However, as a critic, it is essential to continue highlighting the shortcomings in films, even those made by filmmakers under such oppressive circumstances.
I was surprised to learn that Germany’s Oscar Committee selected Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” as the country’s entry for the Best International Film Award. This choice suggests that German filmmakers may have struggled to produce more compelling films this year.
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” had the potential to explore the transformation of a man living under a totalitarian regime—from a guardian of justice to a power-hungry monster. Unfortunately, the film suffers from attempting to juggle too many storylines, each of which could have served as the foundation for a powerful social justice narrative. However, the film fails to fully develop any of these threads.
The protagonist, Iman (a symbolically chosen name meaning “Faith” or “Believer”), is an honest investigator who must sacrifice his independence and follow orders to advance in the justice system, even if it means sentencing innocent protesters to death.
The second storyline focuses on the impact of Iman’s transformation on his family—his wife and two daughters. If treated as a subplot, this could have reinforced the main narrative, but instead, it diverges into its own path.
Additionally, the film includes a third layer that addresses the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. This is arguably the most successful aspect of the film, as it realistically incorporates social media footage captured by ordinary people, depicting police and secret police violence during the movement.
Rather than depicting the gradual transformation of a man of justice into a monster, Rasoulof opts for exaggerated dramatic twists. For instance, when Iman loses his gun, he irrationally suspects his family members of stealing it. The situation worsens when a brutal young interrogator, a friend of Iman, questions his family to uncover the gun’s whereabouts.
Further complicating the plot, Iman decides to go into hiding with his family to avoid attacks from demonstrators. This leads to unrealistic sequences, such as a couple pursuing Iman and his own daughter turning against him. These elements detract from the film’s believability and leave audiences questioning what has happened to Rasoulof, who previously made a powerful statement against the brutality of dictatorships in his film “There Is No Evil.”