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About Elly
درباره الی
2009 119 min Iran 6+
★8.1
Drama
Director: Asghar Farhadi
Trailers
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Description
The mysterious disappearance of a kindergarten teacher during a picnic in the north of Iran is followed by a series of misadventures for her fellow travelers.
US Gross:
$470,760
Starring
Taraneh Alidoosti
Actor
Golshifteh Farahani
Actor
Shahab Hosseini
Actor
Awards
Berlin International Film Festival 2009
— Silver Bear – Best Director
Berlin International Film Festival 2009
— Golden Bear
Asian Film Academy 2010
— Best Screenplay
Berlin International Film Festival 2009
— Silver Bear – Best Director
Key opinion
About Elly is widely celebrated as a masterfully crafted psychological drama that uses a tragic disappearance to expose the intricate tensions between modern Iranian life and traditional social constraints. While a small minority of viewers found the narrative pacing stagnant or the character motivations obscure, the consensus praises its intense, realistic performances and its ability to turn a simple outing into a profound meditation on truth and guilt.
| Acting | The performances are deeply naturalistic, with the ensemble cast creating a cohesive psychological portrait of social unraveling. | |
| Direction | Farhadi exhibits precise directorial control, successfully utilizing a minimalist setting and unity of place to build mounting tension. | |
| Theme | The screenplay effectively transforms a seemingly innocent weekend trip into a complex exploration of how small, well-intentioned lies spiral into moral crisis. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing is polarizing: some appreciate the slow-burn approach as a realistic buildup, while others find the initial act stagnant and frustrating. | |
| Culture | The cultural commentary is debated; some view the film as a poignant look at modern Iranian gender roles, while others feel the depiction of cultural contrasts with the West remains underdeveloped or obscure. |