The Circle

Jafar Panahi’s portrait of social obstacles for women in Iran is at once a triumph and the first of his films to attract the scrutiny of Iranian officials.

In a maternity ward in Tehran, Solmaz Gholami has just given birth to a healthy baby girl. Her whole family was expecting a boy, but ultrasound images aren’t always accurate, so this news comes as a bit of a shock. It could end in divorce for Solmaz, so barely a moment after the umbilical cord has been cut, her mother goes into damage control.

Meanwhile, across the span of 24 hours, several women encounter everyday obstacles that have profound consequences in their separate but intersecting lives.

Curator’s Note

This is one of four films on which Jafar Panahi collaborated with fellow filmmaker Kambuzia Partovi. During his twenties, Panahi’s first directing role on a feature film was as assistant director to Partovi on his 1989 film Fish. The Circle (2000) was their first collaboration as writer and director, before later collaborative efforts with Border Café (2005) and Closed Curtain (2013).

The Circle marks a significant shift in tone as Panahi moves away from the child protagonists of his first two features towards adults. However, there’s a throughline of obstacles faced by female characters; implying that when girls grow up, the social barriers remain steadfastly in place.

The Circle also marks the beginning of the director’s misalignment with authorities. A permit for the film was initially withheld but granted just before its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, where it received the Golden Lion prize. The film remains banned in Iran.

– Reece Goodwin, Curator (Film & TV)