The Past (2013)

The Past (2013)

aka Le Passé

Dir. Asghar Farhadi

A French and Persian language drama about a separated couple who agree to meet up in order to finalise their divorce after years apart. I picked it up because it was released by Artificial Eye (R2), a company that distributes films that are almost always stirring, engaging and/or intriguing.

The story goes to places that I wasn't expecting, but it gets there via an organic methodology and never feels forced. That the unseen barriers and coverings are strengthened by having visible reminders in the environments is surely no coincidence. The locations themselves are utterly believable, each one beautifully lived-in.

It's often heavy going, almost like sharing in someone else's emotional baggage for a few hours, but it has the power to hold the attention without overwhelming or smothering the viewer.