Record-breaking Success of 'The Salesman' on Its Opening Day

The unexpected reception of the film 'The Salesman' on its opening day, Wednesday, led to the breaking of the opening day sales record in the history of Iranian cinema. The film earned 260 million tomans from its first day of screening in 18 theaters in Tehran and 8 theaters in various cities across Iran. The significant sales for this latest work by Asghar Farhadi, the only Oscar-winning director in Iranian cinema, were likely due to the immense curiosity surrounding it, but events such as the film's screening at 6:45 AM and the filling of typically empty 9 and 10 AM screenings were considered surprising. Images of audience reception during various screenings and their expressions of emotion after the film have been shared on social media. 'The Salesman' is Farhadi's seventh feature film and has received acclaim in recent years. The film was first screened in June at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, winning two awards for Best Actor and Best Screenplay. Shahab Hosseini and Taraneh Alidoosti play a young couple whose lives face a crisis after moving into a new home due to the actions of the previous tenant. In this film, as in Farhadi's previous works like 'Fireworks Wednesday' and 'A Separation', the audience is engaged in a suspenseful series of events that encompass challenging themes such as judgment, forgiveness, and revenge. A press conference for the film's team was held in Tehran after their return from France on June 10, attended by director Asghar Farhadi, and actors Taraneh Alidoosti and Shahab Hosseini. Following the film's screening at Cannes and the widespread reactions to it, various analyses regarding its themes and execution have been published. Some media outlets close to conservatives, such as the Yalasarat weekly, deemed the film's content as a rejection of the concepts of honor and zeal. Meanwhile, discussions arose regarding the need for changes to the film for it to receive a screening permit from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. For instance, Hossein Nooshabadi, the spokesperson for the Ministry, stated a few days after the film received its awards that it would be screened in Iran with 'considerations'. Some unofficial sources also reported that conditions, including the removal of a segment featuring the song 'Rana' by Molouk Zarrabi, which is heard in part of the film, were among the considerations for granting the screening permit. Asghar Farhadi did not respond to these comments, but officials from the Cinema Organization stated that the film would not be altered for its screening in Iran, although some members of the Cultural Commission of Parliament insisted on changes until just days before the film's release. Mr. Farhadi, in his initial statements on the first day of the film's release, related what he called the controversies surrounding the film to issues outside cinema. With the start of 'The Salesman' screenings in Iran, the film now meets the necessary conditions for Iran to submit it to the Academy Awards for consideration in the Best Foreign Language Film category. According to Academy regulations, films submitted in this category must have been publicly screened in their home countries for at least one week before October 1 each year. The film's submission will depend on a committee of Iranian filmmakers and managers, whose members are introduced by the Farabi Cinema Foundation around this time each year. The members of this year's committee have not yet been announced. Public screenings of 'The Salesman' in Europe and the United States are set to begin in the coming months, and if it is submitted to the Academy, Asghar Farhadi will once again be in the running for the prestigious Oscar award.