Drama
France,Iran,United States of America
Circumstance is a 2011 Iranian-American drama film directed by Maryam Keshavarz. The film follows the story of Atafeh, a teenager living in Tehran, Iran, who rebels against the strict laws of the Islamic Republic. Atafeh is a wealthy, educated girl who enjoys a privileged lifestyle with her family. However, she becomes restless and begins to experiment with drugs, sex, and underground parties.
At the same time, her brother Mehran falls under the influence of a conservative religious group and starts to embrace fundamentalist Islam. The siblings' paths diverge as Mehran becomes increasingly intolerant and estranged from his family, while Atafeh continues to push the boundaries of her society's norms.
As Atafeh explores her sexuality and develops feelings for a female friend, her family struggles to keep her rebellion in check. They hire a private tutor to monitor her, remove her from public school, and try to marry her off to a suitable man. However, Atafeh refuses to conform and instead embraces her unconventional desires.
The film highlights the stark contrasts in Iranian society between tradition and modernity, religion and secularism, and individual freedoms versus societal expectations. It offers a glimpse into the lives of young Iranians who challenge their conservative society's limits and the consequences that follow.
