Shayda; “A Separation” in Australia

By José Alberto Hermosillo

AFI FEST FILM REVIEW: “Shayda” is a thoughtful and profoundly moving family drama. It chronicles the journey of an Iranian mother and daughter as they endure a painful separation from their abusive husband in Australia in the 1990s.

Paraphrasing the title of the Oscar-winning 2011 Iranian film “A Separation,” directed by Asghar Farhadi, another story of separation among Iranians comes to the screen -- “Shayda,” based on the personal experience of first-time Iranian Australian director Noora Niasari, delivers a vivid portrayal of an abused Iranian single mother and her daughter as they wander in a foreign land.

Director Noora Niasari, Australia. Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA, 2023

 
The film strongly suggests Shayda’s darkest moments, including the reference to when she was beaten, raped, and sent out onto the street with her six-year-old daughter, Mona. To overcome adversity, she seeks refuge at a women’s shelter, where she finds counseling, legal aid, and friends in similar circumstances who teach her to empower herself to confront her husband and his family.

Over the Persian New Year celebration, Shayda would like to take comfort in the Nowruz rituals that symbolize a new beginning. But real life takes work. Escaping domestic violence and her country’s totalitarian ideology, Shayda needs to recapture her cultural identity by staying connected to her Iranian food, poetry, music, dances, traditions, and, above all, the Iranian people in Australia.

In this stressful cat-and-mouse drama, Shayda must be as far as possible from her abusive husband, Hossain (Osamah Sami), but the law does not grant her wishes. The patriarchal Australian system, unaware that the father wants to take his woman and daughter back to Iran to preserve his misogynist dominance, rules in favor of the father’s visitations.

The collaborative effort took six years to come to fruition. Noora’s mother was not only her inspiration but also stood by her side during production. Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett, who served as an executive producer, was an essential part of the project, Niasari said at a Q&A after the screening of her film during the AFI Fest in Los Angeles in 2023.

The Persian-born director Noora Niasari, who grew up in Australia, returned to Iran at 19 to learn more about her roots, cultural identity, and other elements that would enrich the film. The symbolism of Shayda’s clothes, shapes, and colors represents the emotional journey and transformation, visually turning Shayda’s silhouette into a butterfly. 

In terms of place and time, the film powerfully analyzes how immigrants lived in Australia during the 1990s.

Actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA, 2023

Starring Tehran-born actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi (“Holy Spider” & “Tatami”) is as remarkable as Shayda. She displays a wide range of emotions, portraying a mother who is aware of her daughter’s well-being yet also needs empathy for herself.

 

Actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi & Selina Zahednia, Photo courtesy of Sony Classics, 2023

Mona, the little girl, is confident and expressive; young actress Selina Zahednia plays her. She understood acting from the beginning. The mother-daughter relationship looked natural on camera thanks to Selina and Zar Amir’s chemistry. They bonded by practicing their scenes in a child-friendly environment for two months.

“Shayda” is a woman-driven story that depicts the repercussions of the Australian immigration system and resonates with a new image of the Great Southern Land we have not seen before.

Noora Niasari dedicated her first work to her mom and all the brave women of Iran. She will continue working on her trilogy and has just announced that her next project is an adaptation of Mahsa Rahman’s novel “Raya” in North America.

“Shayda” is an affectionate, female-driven film with a sense of belonging. This cathartic project reflects the challenges experienced by a single mom during her separation from her abusive husband, as she moves away from her totalitarian country to find shelter and personal fulfillment for her and her daughter in a new land that represents a new beginning for both women who dream of a better future. 

Shayda - Official trailer

Director Nooria Niasari & film critic José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA, 2023

Actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi & film critic José Alberto Hermosillo. Copyright © Festival in LA, 2023

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“Ice Poison” Is a Dangerous Drug

By José Alberto Hermosillo.

 

“Ice Poison” is an eye-opening, beautifully realistic, and hypnotic love story. The filmmakers tackle many critical global issues, such as migration, poverty, youth, and drug consumption.  

“Ice Poison” is a well-directed personal project by Midi Z (“Return to Burma,” “Poor Folk”). Filmed in an exquisite documentary style, the drama impressively sticks with the spectator’s mind for a while.

“Ice Poison” is Taiwan’s 2015 Best Foreign Language Film Official Entry. The Best Picture Award winner at the Edinburgh Film Festival, Best Director at the Taipei Film Festival, the Official Selection at Tribeca, and part of the Panorama Section at the Berlin International Film Festival. 

 

 

In farmland, people struggle to make ends meet. There are a few options for the young: emigrate to a nearby country or a metropolitan area. Work in a jade mine. Those marginalized communities live in absolute poverty, and it is nearly impossible to borrow money from a family member because they have nothing to give.

An older man decides to sell his cow to buy a scooter and send his son to work in the city as a taxi driver. But everybody in the town lives in severe poverty, and many compete for the same jobs. 

After a while, the young driver picks up a Chinese girl on her way to her grandfather’s funeral – since this is wartime in her home region, her son and her brother couldn’t join her, leaving her alone in sadness and despair.  

 

 

One event harmoniously takes us to the following experience: the film’s seamless editing and impeccable structure. “Ice Poison” blends both storylines perfectly.

Ice poison is a powerful synthetic stimulant drug that looks like crystal methamphetamine and gives users the courage and strength to do things they are afraid of doing when they are sober.

Suddenly, things like singing karaoke, falling in love, selling drugs, and making money seem easy until they eventually collapse into a delirious state of mind.

 

 

Desperation and impoverishment can push ordinary citizens to do the unthinkable, such as selling and consuming drugs despite the fatal consequences. This film reminds the audience of the dangers of the drug business that prevails in Asia and worldwide. 

“Ice Poison” vividly shows a reality that many people worldwide are experiencing right now. 

 

“Ice Poison” or “Bing Du” is a co-production between Taiwan and Myanmar. Its humanistic approach shows how people cope and survive when few options are left and how society has decomposed itself by using and trafficking drugs. 

Despite the complicated subject matter, “Ice Poison” is a beautiful and truthful film, thanks to its well-defined hyper-reality. A must-see movie!

 

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IF YOU ARE READING FROM A MOBILE DEVICE, CLICK: view web version FOR OTHER COOL FEATURES SUCH AS TRANSLATE POWERED BY GOOGLE, AN INTERACTIVE FILM FESTIVAL CALENDAR, AND MORE.

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