Goodbye Shirazi Girl

 Iranian Film Festival 2025

Cultural Exchange Program - Iran/ Philippines

Cinema 3 Shangri la Plaza mall

This film is based on Neil Simon's 1977 film, Goodbye Girl. The movie where Richard Dreyfuss won his Oscar best actor award as Elliot Garfield, the offbeat aspiring actor who has to share an apartment with a single mother (Marsha Mason) and her daughter.

In this Iranian version, Shabnam is the single mother who lives with her daughter in a fairly decent apartment and works as a manager in a restaurant. One rainy night, a stranger is frantically trying to enter her apartment. Apparently, Shabnam's ex boyfriend ghosted her but he owes some money to Nasim so to make amends, he allows Nasim, an aspiring actor to stay at Shabnam's apartment. 

Clearly a misunderstanding as Shabnam has no idea who Nasim is, and also why her apparently married boyfriend just abandoned her and left without any warning. Obviously there is a great deal of animosity between Shabnam and Nasim who are polar opposites yet each with their own endearing qualities. Soon their living arrangement turns into romance as they learn to accept each other's foibles while still maintaining a sense of common decency. Embracing their differences and learning to blend into each other's complex lives.

This romantic comedy has its charms as it follows to the dot the film upon which it is based, the classic "The Goodbye Girl" by esteemed playwright and director Neil Simon. A bit more cheesy sometimes veering on the corny side yet with cultural nuances inserted, this version mostly succeeds due to the believable performances of the two lead actors. 

In the Arms of the Tree

 Iranian Film Festival 2025
Cultural Exchange Program - Iran/ Philippines

Cinema 3, Shangri-la Plaza Cinemas

Iran has a vibrant film industry. Some of their films mirror the tumultuous and volatile political landscape as well as feature the complex everyday lives of ordinary people. I figure this can be applicable to any nation with a rich, colorful history and a populace that has endured so much through the years.

Filmed in its official language, Persian/Farsi with English subtitles (naturally), In the Arms of the Tree explores the complicated situation of Kimia and Farid. After 12 years, Kimia is seeking divorce as she is beset with a trauma/phobia which affects her mobility. 

They have not yet informed their young sons, 11 year old Taha and 5 year old Alisan about the divorce. Farid wants Taha to live with him as he has started to inculcate his eldest son to be a responsible son, brother and eventually take over the family business. While the youngest would go with his mother. This would disrupt the close bond of the siblings, as the impact of any form of separation/divorce would naturally be most felt by the innocent children.

Shot mostly outdoors in rural Iran, the latter part of the movie intensifies. We are kept on the edge of our seats with mixed emotions, sensing the desperation of both Kimia and Farid and like them we find ourselves praying that it won't end up in tragedy.  

A melodramatic tale about the effects of a marital discord on the lives of the children as well as between the couple themselves. Effective performances from the cast, especially the actress who portrays Kimia, her anguish was palpable and added to the intensity of the dramatic scenes.

The simple rural settings of a small town that is not yet swallowed up technology is a refreshing change from today's decaying society obsessed by instant gratification, a fast paced lifestyle and the onslaught of artificial intelligence.