Within the Orchard, Beyond the Trees.

Women without Men is a film by Shirin Neshat and is set in 1950s Tehran - specifically during the Musaddiq crisis and the ensuing people, albeit male dominated protests. The film charts the lives of 4 women - the spinster sister of a strict, religious, conservative man; her innocent, naive friend who is unwittingly thrown into the bitter reality of life; a disturbed and deeply damaged prostitute; and a woman in her 50s who discovers life late but discovers that maybe it is all just a little too late.

The role of women in Iranian society and politics were carefully and delicately addressed - how they were (and arguably continue to be) omitted or at best sidelined from mainstream politics, how they satisfy roles as lovers, wives, mothers, and sisters. What emerges is not a bleak portrait of women as submissive creatures, but as human beings who are strong, beautiful, determined, and defiant. Even though at times, the price to be free is just too high to pay.

It is a film of little words and dialogue is kept to a minimum. Instead, the plight of Iranian women are addressed by stark images, haunting music (provided beautifully by one of my childhood heroes, Ryuichi Sakamoto), stunning as well as painful scenes. It has a slightly dreamy and eerie feel about it, which adds to its sense of poignancy and loss. It did not overwhelm the audience (I was personally pleased with the length of time), and left us all with the need to reflect on our own society, coming of age, and how we can escape or come to terms with our own pre-determined fates.

For more information, this is the film's website: http://www.womenwithoutmenfilm.com/.