Farhadi’s film characters in psych review

Iran Oscar-winning film ‘The Salesman’ features mental and social health in a realistic fashion, a review says.

The piece published by local media tried to connect Farhadi’s flick to the importance of mental health for citizens in society, focusing on Rana’s character played by Taraneh Alidoosti.

She is in a difficult position dealing with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event - either experiencing it or witnessing it.

Anger, hatred and desire to retaliate are the first emotional reactions naturally occur in a woman who is in such a situation, but one must look at the influential man in the flick as well.

Emad played by Shahab Hosseini is a person of culture as a teacher with common law-abiding and ethical characteristics of such profession. Though when it is to his own benefit, he goes against all his ethical principles.

Emad’s locking up the old man in the room and arguing with him as well as refusing to call the medical emergency services when the senior citizen was not feeling well ... all of which are committed by a cultured, moral personality.

This discrepancy between mental ethics and what happens in practice is Farhadi's main concern and is well depicted in his work.

The film tells the story of a young couple named Emad and Rana who move into a new flat in the center of Tehran. But an incident linked to the previous tenant dramatically changes their life.

The movie won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards in 2017 as well as grabbing double awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival a year before the Oscar achievement.

AG/AG