Separation

A devoted husband and father who chooses to care for his ailing father over permanently leaving Iran with his wife. He tries to maintain calm under pressure, yet his reactions reveal a capacity for anger when his limits are tested. His attempts to protect his family and his father show a complex balance of compassion, pride, and fear. He embodies the central tension between filial duty and personal freedom.

A pragmatic mother who believes that emigrating could secure Termeh’s future. She is determined, clear-eyed, and willing to take decisive steps to change their circumstances. Her stance highlights the clash between personal autonomy and family loyalty. Her choices push the family toward a difficult, irreversible separation.

A ten-year-old girl torn between her parents, whose quiet intelligence and loyalty drive the moral core of the story. Her presence in the courtroom and at home exposes the fragility of truth as she navigates competing narratives. Her decisions reflect a child’s perspective on duty, love, and the consequences of adult actions.

A deeply religious, modest caregiver from a poorer suburb, trying to balance work, faith, and her own precarious life. Her vulnerability under pressure shapes the course of events, including the life-changing ambiguities surrounding the elderly man in her care. Her decisions are driven by a mix of duty, fear, and moral complexity.

Razieh’s young daughter, who witnesses the family’s tensions and contributes to the emotional atmosphere without speaking much on the central disputes. Her quiet presence hints at the broader impact of adult conflicts on children. She represents innocence amid upheaval.

Razieh’s husband, whose volatile temper and aggressive reactions intensify conflicts and threaten household safety. His anger embodies the masculine pressures and potential violence that complicate the family’s delicate balance. He is a catalyst for the film’s exploration of pride, anger, and social strain.