Seven Unforgettable Fathers of Contemporary Cinema: Power, Trauma, and the Collapse of Authority

7. Tortoise – When Trauma Becomes Inheritance

Director: Bahman Kamyar
Genre: Psychological thriller
Key Cast: Farhad Aslani

The Father as the Source of Pain

Tortoise offers one of the darkest portrayals of fatherhood. A psychiatrist suffering from severe mental instability becomes the primary cause of his daughter’s emotional suffering.

As the narrative unfolds, the audience realizes that the father’s attempts at control and protection are driven by paranoia and fear, not love. This film suggests that unresolved trauma does not disappear—it transfers.

Conclusion

These seven films collectively redefine the cinematic father. No longer idealized, he emerges as villain, anti-hero, victim, and redeemer. Through these stories, modern cinema invites audiences to question authority, empathize with emotional struggle, and confront the consequences of silence and control.