The Persian Version is a film written, directed and produced by Maryam Keshavarz. It stars Layla Mohammadi as Leila and Niousha Noor as Shireen.
Story
The film follows Iranian-American Leila as she strives to find a balance between her two cultures. Trying to keep the two separate, she often times clashes with her mother Shireen. After unexpectedly becoming pregnant, Leila soon learns of the parallels between her and her mother’s lives, ending in the reconciliation of their strained relationship.
Visuals
The film is fill with bright colors and is intentionally all over the place. Vibrant and fun, the film is filled with lots of contrasting colors.
Acting
Mohammadi and Noor were both really great. You could feel for each of their characters and as you learn more through the film’s progression, you come to an understanding of why they are the way they are. I think their relationship is something that people of all backgrounds can relate to.
Overall
The film starts off pretty chaotic and rocky, with Leila constantly breaking the fourth wall while recounting memories. Initially, it appears that the focus will be on Leila, but a lot of the film actually deals with Shireen. It is film focused on family, history, and sacrifice, utilizing comedy and dance sequences to make the film’s tough topics even more gut wrenching. If you watch this movie, be prepared for several scenes that will make you cry (especially, the ending).
