Nahid at Cannes Festival; A Narrative of Iranian Women's Struggle for Independence

The film "Nahid" is the only Iranian feature film present at the Cannes Festival, which began its screenings on Saturday at this prestigious cinematic event. The showings of this film, accepted in the Un Certain Regard section, have so far been well-received by audiences, with the first screening for representatives of various media outlets accompanied by much enthusiasm from attendees. Nahid is the first feature film by its creator, Aida Panahandeh, who at 36 years old is considered one of the filmmakers of the new generation of Iranian cinema. After gaining extensive experience in making short and feature films, she enters the world of feature films with careful planning and a smart perspective. Panahandeh's previous films, "City Lights" and "The Story of Davood and Qamari," are among the most recognized in the field of short and feature films in recent years, having been showcased at various festivals. "Nahid" was previously screened at the 33rd Fajr Film Festival, where despite some positive reactions from critics, it did not create significant buzz and was not particularly noted. This point was also raised as a main topic of discussion among Iranian critics and journalists present at Cannes after the film's screening. Nahid tells the story of a divorced woman in today's Iran striving for an independent life, to maintain custody of her rebellious young son, and to endure the multitude of pressures from a patriarchal society. The filmmaker's intelligence in narrating this seemingly repetitive story, setting it in the northern city of Anzali, and utilizing the structure of a small town to depict social pressures is noteworthy. In this regard, the director has shown clear mastery over the narrative and the concerns of the residents of this small town, successfully engaging the audience from the beginning through the selection and guidance of suitable actors. Despite a professionally acceptable execution, Nahid suffers from some screenplay weaknesses, especially in the second half, where the filmmaker shows uncertainty at the end of her story, repeatedly concluding and then retelling it. This seems to reflect an effort to avoid the usual bitterness found in recent Iranian cinema, so that their work does not face labels of "disappointing" and "pessimistic." Given its screening in Iran and its non-controversial approach, Nahid is likely to avoid the usual criticisms from some media and figures within Iran regarding the festival appearances of Iranian films. Nevertheless, it is clear that the curiosity of foreign festivals in viewing the concerns and issues of today's Iranian middle class has influenced the film's selection. With the director's intelligent storytelling and the satisfactory performance of all involved, Nahid is unlikely to leave Cannes empty-handed, especially as it has a chance to win the Golden Camera award for first-time filmmakers. This award is given by a separate jury to the best film considered the first work of its creators. However, Panahandeh faces strong competition from Laszlo Nemes, whose debut film "Son of Saul" captured all attention at Cannes. Babak Ghafouri Azar, the producer of "Scene" at Radio Farda, follows developments in the cinema and theater sector. He has been with Radio Farda since 2010 and has published various investigative reports on events during the first decade of the Islamic Republic's establishment. Ghafouri Azar began journalism in Iran in 2001.