Canaan

Asghar Farhadi is fast becoming one of the most prolific, as well as highly regarded, script writers in Iran. In addition to writing the scripts for his own movies, he often lends a helping hands to friends and colleagues; in this instance to director Mani Haghighi, who probably returned the favor by acting in Farhadi's About Elly.

Farhadi's specialty is delving into the inner psyche of human relationships. Here we have a couple on the brink of separation. Mina (Taraneh Alidoosti), who used to be a student of her husband Morteza (Mohamad Reza Foroutan) at college, is disillusioned with her life. This comes both from a feeling of having wasted her life and under achievement, as well as disillusionment with her husband who has changed from the brilliant academic that she married to a scheming real estate developer.The situation becomes more complex when Mina's suicidal sister Azar (Afsaneh Bayegan) visits them from Germany.

For both Mina and Morteza, a final trip together to a seaside town to visit Morteza's mother before signing the divorce papers becomes a journey of re-discovery and self assessment.

Canaan is beautifully played by all the main actors and is an intelligent and rewarding film. It's another triumph for both Haghighi and Farhadi.