It’s the film of the day, and maybe even of this entire Cannes Film Festival. A hero by Asghar Farhadi, it’s really very successful. This moral tale marks the return of the director ofA separation in his native Iran after two experiences far from his country of origin: The past (2013) and Everybody Knows(2018). It also allows him to return to themes that are dear to him: lies, family and loyalty. The gear in which his hero lets himself be taken (played by the novice actor Amir Jadidi who would deserve an interpretation prize) is dizzying.
What if Asghar Farhadi obtained the Palme d’Or for #A hero at # Cannes2021 ? I wouldn’t mind …@Festival_Cannes @20 minutes @ementodistrib pic.twitter.com/JfMnC0PD3J
– Vié Caroline (@Caroklouk) July 14, 2021
A story with universal themes
Imprisoned for debt, this man sees his life transformed into a dream and then into a nightmare against a backdrop of jealousy, family rivalries and social networks. Both his need for freedom and his desire for redemption come to an end in an Iranian society plagued by greed. “For some, criticizing society does not mean criticizing the system. However, everything is linked, ”said Asghar Farhadi on Wednesday at a press conference. If the action takes place in Iran, what the filmmaker describes tends towards the universal.
Spike Lee and his jury could easily agree on this beautiful story with a cut-out scenario that simultaneously attacks the death penalty, social inequalities and political shenanigans. A hero ticks all the boxes to appeal to a large audience when it releases on December 22, as well as each member of the jury. And then, a Palme d’Or (deserved) would have a crazy chic next to the Oscar that Asghar Farhadi received in 2012 for A separation.