As political unrest engulfs the streets of Tehran, a newly appointed investigating judge grows increasingly paranoid. When his gun goes missing, he begins to suspect his own wife and daughters, leading his family life to unravel. Filmed entirely in secret, this gripping political thriller from director Mohammad Rasoulof – long targeted by the Iranian government for his outspoken critiques – sparked threats of harsh punishment and had to be smuggled out of the country to enter European film festivals.

🏆 Nominated for Best International Feature at the Academy Awards and winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival.

Reviews

‘The film itself is a mesmerisingly gripping and controlled parable-thriller in which the paranoia, misogyny and rage of the Iranian state are mapped seamlessly onto an ordinary family unit.’
★★★★★
Robbie Collin, The Telegraph

‘The Seed Of The Sacred Fig grows into an epic of suspense, an unpredictable domestic thriller where the personal is always political.’
★★★★★
Matt Schimkowitz, The AV Club