"Fireflies"; An Iranian Gay Man's Confusion in Mexico

The Rotterdam International Film Festival in the Netherlands, now in its 48th edition, has always been a platform for young Iranian filmmakers to present their fresh experiences at a recognized European festival. This year, although filmmakers inside Iran had no chance to participate, two Iranian filmmakers living abroad are present with their feature films: Bani Khoshnoodi with "Fireflies" and Ali Jabaranasari with "Tehran, City of Love." Part of the budget for "Fireflies," which was made in Mexico, was provided by the Rotterdam festival, and Bani Khoshnoodi, a filmmaker residing in Mexico, had previously participated in this festival with his short films. "Fireflies" follows a young Iranian named Ramin in a small port town in Mexico. We soon learn that Ramin wants to return to Europe by ship. Later, it becomes clear that he intended to leave Turkey for a European country by ship, which mistakenly arrived in Mexico. From the beginning, the film is based on a character-driven screenplay, without the filmmaker having the ability to accurately portray this character and engage us with his world. The film quickly reveals its secret: in a Skype conversation, we learn that he is gay and that his boyfriend is left behind in Turkey. The confusion and bewilderment of the main character regarding his surroundings—emphasized by his inability to communicate with locals even for his daily needs—becomes a significant part of the film; what could have been an exploration of the relationship between the character and the unknown environment (and indeed a kind of struggle for survival) is hindered here by the film's cold atmosphere, weak performances, and narrative confusion, preventing a more serious treatment from taking shape. On the other hand, the film uses various elements without having a positive impact on the structure and narrative. The very theme of a lonely Iranian gay man in a small Mexican town, where no one can communicate with him, is not sufficient for the filmmaker, who soon wants to incorporate a series of other elements: when Ramin goes swimming in the sea, we see whip marks on his back, and when his newly found friend asks him about these wounds, Ramin mentions his prison experience. As a result, before the film can form a cohesive structure about Ramin's loneliness, it becomes a collection of various life fragments that could either continue for long minutes or be much shorter, and in practice, no change occurs in the nature of the film. Since it can be guessed in advance, Ramin will find friends in this environment despite his language barrier. The first is a hotelier girl; from the very first encounter, where she tells Ramin he can pay for the room tomorrow and asks about his troubled state, it is clear she is set to play the role of a friend and companion. Meanwhile, his failed love story becomes a long subplot without necessity and has no connection to the film's hero, except for a crude emphasis on the issue of relationships and their end in loneliness. The second character is even less developed than the first: a laborer who becomes friends with Ramin. Their relationship and the portrayal of their friendship progress to the point where Ramin wants to kiss him, and the man beats him in response to the insult. However, in the next scene, we see this same man hitting him in his room, and in another scene, illogically, he both kisses and insults him, ultimately leading to a poorly directed and unnecessary fight that could have ended with the same "macho" behavior in front of the cafe and the beating of Ramin.