WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
We all yearn to be away from conflict, or at least ideally this should be the case. When all we aim to attain is the ability to be who we are, practice what we believe, and be amongst those of like-minded actions while also being at peace with the world, it is a goal anyone should hope for. But, when circumstances arise that begin to take away all of this, what are we willing to do in order to make it back to a better place…perhaps even a more assured and safe future? It is the Spring of 1988, at the height of the Iran-Iraq War, and a young woman named Caroline (Ava Lalezarzadeh) is relishing a drive through the Iranian countryside with her father Sharif (Iman Nazemzadeh). However, what lies under the surface of their time together will alter both of their lives forever.
Next, my Mind:
The backdrop of prolonged conflict plus both national and religious tension forms the basis for this well-executed, quietly but firmly impactful study of what we do as human beings to try and ensure the legacy of family while guarding our ingrained and treasured beliefs as portrayed through this now Oscar qualified short film effort from director/executive producer/editor Julia Elihu, writer/executive producer Ava Lalezarzadeh, producer Aaron Lemle, along with additional executive producers Daniel Jewel, Zack Parker, Emily Ruhl, Homan Siman, and Fariborz & Caroline Lalezarzadeh. While any situation involving war offers a very wide scope of elements that can be addressed given the sheer magnitude of influence such an event engenders, the beauty of this 14-minute excursion is the more tangible sense of personal focus conveyed through a solidly written and visually uncomplicated approach that ups the relatability factor with adept skill and intent.
The narrative that follows a mostly isolated car ride being shared by a father and daughter through Iran’s expansive and desolate desert landscapes found beyond the borders of their home city of Tehran, what makes it effective is the undisclosed nature of their journey until key moments begin to slowly reveal the depth of a hard, undeniably heartbreaking, yet necessary decision that’s founded it, much less the inherent uncertainty of outcome that it births. To add to this, the simple moments illustrating the deep bond between a parent and child stands out here as well, lending that aforementioned accessibility to what we’re watching while allowing even the specter of war and its innate destructive power to be forgotten while we immerse ourselves in both joyous and stirring moments the two characters share. Likewise, the building aura of unsettledness that is simmering the whole runtime provides that equally present reality to the path being taken.
By the time it IS evident what is really occurring thanks to a still subtle but unequivocally profound finale that’s delivered, it makes you stop and consider the real cost of we as denizens of this shared planet must experience when hate, prejudice, and the persecution of a people is allowed to fester and boil over rather than differences being confronted in a more constructive manner. This isn’t remote to oversimplify the magnitude of what this film’s message(s) is attempting to so persuasively place within us as the viewer, and this critic is always supportive and hopeful that said messages are one’s we actually not only absorb, but take real HEED of and the actions we can do to help make this world a BETTER place, a UNIFIED place, instead of believing that anger and hostility is somehow the answer. May we NEVER grow weary of films that choose to cement candid but needed statements into our minds, because change CAN happen if we are WILLING.
Lalezarzadeh is an engaging, charming, but also distinctly vulnerable portrait of absolute courage in the face of abject, even if seemingly veiled, inner tumult through her role as Caroline, a young Iranian woman on the road with her father as they traverse the deceptively quiet isolation of the desert back country of Iran during the Iran-Iraq war. Relishing, sometimes pensively, moments that are a combination of the evident apprehension they mutually share paired with playful levity and the unquestioned bond of love present as child to parent, it soon becomes apparent that this will be no random or ordinary venture they’re on, eventually painting a more potent picture of the primary objective in play. I so often say it and I have no other means coming to mind to describe it other than it’s a wonderfully understated performance that still emphasizes the high emotional state of Caroline’s character without an iota of melodrama or lack of genuine conviction on Lalezarzadeh’s part, a testament to a grounded portrayal of fully credible unease and longing for freedom in the ways we’re made aware of.
Nazemzadeh also brings a more muted but powerfully emphatic and telling sense of energy to his performance as Caroline’s father Sharif, a man not only there in full support of his daughter in the ultimately revealed cause of their current road trip together, but a parent desperate to remain in tune with and interactive with her in spite of the difficult circumstances even when she’s not at first willing to acknowledge his efforts to do so. With him knowing where their road is leading, his ongoing efforts that allow them to try and make the most of their time in happiness instead of melancholy is touching, amusing, but also still filled with the appropriate levels of soul-moving anguish that befits the narrative, and Sharif more than adeptly provides these varying emotional peaks and valleys with skill and total believability throughout the film.
Primary supporting turns are present from Milad Dylan as a member of the Iranian traffic police, Kourosh Parsapour as a local roadside produce and fruit vendor Sharif chooses to stop and take advantage of, and Ray Haratian as a key figure in the pair’s journey and, for one of them, their destination. An additional appearance is made by Navid Neghaban. So, in total, “In The Garden of Tulips”, with its core thematic explorations of war, religious intolerance, maintaining one’s personal beliefs, and the unwavering strength of the human spirit to persevere even when it is hard to do so, is yet another utterly necessary film that speaks volumes to our current world and the ongoing strife being endured. One again hopes this will truly sink into viewer’s thoughts and ideally spur on actions that will see the unification, or at least understanding, of the world as PEOPLE, regardless of any differences, and show that foundational LOVE and FREEDOM does still exist for ALL while providing a lasting testament to those who face the challenges they do to stand firm for WHO they are.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
