In 1985 Tehran, Shideh (Narges Rashidi), a former revolutionary, fails to be reinstated in university because of her illicit anti-establishment past. But Shideh is not merely a wearied archetype.

She is a mother and a wife and deeply troubled by something, perhaps something pertaining to her restrained ability for agency evidenced by her introduction and subsequent interactions with males in her community. She has issues sleeping, not surprising given her family is awoken at night by sirens signalling potential military danger. She is a fighter packed into a box, sealed with Xs of tape.

Her character is more nuanced than the words above can give credit. This is because a lot of Shideh’s character is expressed through Rashidi’s weighted expressions and actions throughout the house. Her words, in arguments with her husband, carry multiple meanings. Her goals appear clear but are rendered complicated by an array of external forces acting upon her.

Among this exploration of a suppressed protagonist—indeed, she spends much of the film Continue reading Under the Shadow (2016) Movie Review →