The 82nd Venice International Film Festival 2025: Spotlight on Cinema and “Komedie Elahi” Photocall

Stylistic Approach and Cinematic Language

Realism Heightened by Surreal Elements

Ali Asgari’s cinematic language marries realism with moments of heightened absurdity. The film’s visual style employs naturalistic lighting, muted color palettes, and handheld camera work that immerses the audience in the slow, grinding routine of bureaucratic life. This creates a sense of immediacy and authenticity—viewers feel the weight of repression.

Simultaneously, the film employs surreal, almost dream-like sequences that exaggerate the absurdity of the system. These moments serve to emphasize the contradictions and contradictions within the authorities’ logic, making the repression appear both tragic and darkly comic.

Use of Silence and Space

The film’s pacing reflects the sluggish, oppressive nature of censorship processes. Long takes and minimal dialogue accentuate the characters’ internal states—frustration, fear, sarcasm, and quiet rebellion. Silence becomes a potent cinematic device, conveying more than words ever could.

The use of space within the frame—crowded bureaucratic offices, dimly lit corridors, and clandestine underground spaces—visualizes the claustrophobic atmosphere of repression. These settings become battlegrounds of endurance where characters navigate a labyrinth of contradictions.

Casting as Meta-Commentary

Casting real-life filmmakers Bahram and Bahman Ark as fictionalized versions of themselves adds a layer of meta-textual commentary. Their presence underscores the film’s theme of self-awareness and the personal toll of censorship. Similarly, Sadaf Asgari’s portrayal of herself—an actress banned from working in Iran after attending Cannes—adds authenticity and subversive power.

This blurring of fiction and reality invites viewers to reflect on the real struggles of Iranian artists and filmmakers, transforming the film from mere fiction into a visceral act of resistance.