The screening of Mani Haghigi’s Subtraction was preceded by a manifestation about the situation in Iran, led byZar Amir-Ebrahimi. She read a list out loud of people who have been arrested in Iran during the last months. Then the film was introduced by the director via a recording, since it’s not possible to leave Iran without publicly denouncing the protests. Among those arrested was the female lead in Subtraction, Taraneh Alidoosti, who was released on bail earlier this year.
Subtraction is a worthy addition to the festival
Subtraction (2022) is the latest film by Mani Haghighi, following A Dragon Arrives! (Ejdeha Vared Mishavad! 2016), and Pig (Khook 2018). It’s a psychological thriller of sorts in which Alidoosti plays Farzaneh, a driving instructor who is pregnant and suffers occasional breakdowns. One day, she sees her husband, Jalal (Navid Mohammadzadeh), who is not supposed to be in the city. When she confronts Jalal, he produces evidence that he was out of town at the time in question. She still doesn’t fully believe him, and later she sees him once again. She follows him to an apartment, where he is greeted by a woman as Mohsen. Is Jalal having an affair or leading a double life?
How much one cares to spoil after that is a matter of preference. I choose not to divulge anything about how the rest of the plot unfolds, even though the information is available in several reviews and the trailer. The film is incredibly stylish, with Morteza Najafi’s cinematography working wonders together with Ramin Kousha’s music. It’s constantly raining, and the buildings are perpetually leaking, rendering people frustrated with each other and everything. It’s not a stretch to see the film through a political or at least a sociological lens, where the inability to admit a mistake can snowball into something bigger and more dangerous.
I was reminded of Chahine’s The Choice (Al-ikhtiyar, 1970), not merely because of specific plot details but primarily because the thriller’s plot sheds light on society. Even with that perspective pushed aside, Subtraction is an engrossing experience which is bound to keep you absorbed to the very end.
Seen at the Gothenburg Film Festival International Competition section.
