Sydney Film Festival Day 9 Review - Women Without Men

This film has provoked much thought. Deliberatly allegorical and magical it had it's confusions.
Slow-moving and at times requiring leaps of faith it was incredibly engaging and haunting.

Now over 12 hours later it is still haunting my thoughts. The films 4 key female protagonists are very different women from different classes and wanting different things. The Wife of a Army Officer who just wants out of her life and marriage (Whose first love has just returned from the west). The sister of a devout religious man who is enthralled by the political turmoil when all he wants is to marry her off. Her friend a devout religous woman who is quietly in love with her friends brother and visits often even though he is promised to another. The final woman is one outside society a prostitute.

3 of them are drawn together at the orchard purchased by the wife of the army officer while the other escapes her oppresive brother the only way she knows how and becomes involved in the Communist movement trying to protect the Government of the Day from offshore interests. As Iran descends into turmoil the relationship of the 3 women at the orchardevolves into a supportive one.

Without revealing the heartbreak you witness sacrifice, heartbreak, compromise and transformative strength to keep fighting. At least that is how I read it.