A Separation is a critically acclaimed Iranian drama film directed by Asghar Farhadi. It follows the story of a middle-class married couple, Nader and Simin, who are faced with a tough decision. Simin wants to leave Iran with their daughter, Termeh, in order to provide her a better life outside the country. However, Nader refuses to leave his country and his father, who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
As the couple struggles to make a decision, they end up separating, largely due to differences in their opinion on what is best for their child. Nader hires a young caregiver named Razieh to look after his father when he goes to work. One day, Nader comes home to find his father tied to his bed and Razieh missing. This leads to a chain of events that will change their lives forever.
The film explores themes of family, responsibility, societal pressures, and the difficult choices that people make in their lives. The plot is a powerful examine of how family dynamics can be influenced by outside forces and how difficult and heart-wrenching it is to truly care for family in times of crisis.
A Separation was released in 2011 and went on to receive widespread critical acclaim for its performances, screenplay, direction, and cinematography. It was nominated for and won several international awards, including the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The understated acting, combined with a complex story and superb directing, is what made the movie one of the best of all time for many critics, reliable analysts, and the general public.