Leila [NTSC]

Considered as the founder of modern Iranian cinema, one of Iran’s greatest modern directors (alongside Kiarostami and Makmalbaf) and that country’s “longest-running cinematic master”, Dariush Mehrjui lacks the international profile of his contemporaries. “Leila” is one of just a handful of his films that have achieved recognition and distribution outside of Iran. Set firmly in the urban world of contemporary middle-class Tehran, the film centres on besotted newlywed couple Leila and Reza. Their happy life together begins to unravel after Leila finds herself unable to conceive. While the couple are unconcerned about this development, Reza’s mother is determined that her son have children, and insists that he must take a second wife to produce a heir and continue the family line. When Reza refuses to give in to her demands she turns to Leila, beating down her resistance to the idea with a mix of pleading, haranguing, and lies, until the couple limply gives in. An understated, yet devastating story of a happy union destroyed by the pressures of family and tradition. In Farsi with English subtitles.