Mitra

Is it her? Scientist Haleh isn’t certain. She has never actually seen Leyla, the woman who betrayed her daughter, but that voice ... Almost 40 years later, she can still recognise that voice. Can’t she? Opportunity arises for Haleh to avenge her daughter’s execution. How reliable are memories of traumatic events? And how sweet or useful is revenge? Dutch-Iranian director Kaweh Modiri sows doubt in viewers while stubborn Haleh (Jasmin Tabatabai) is convinced she is right. She determinedly enters the life of Leyla, who has just fled to the Netherlands and lives in a flat with her young daughter. Mitra is based on Modiri’s own life: his sister Mitra was executed before he was born. He acutely alternates between the sandy-blue of Iran in 1982 and the dank, dark Netherlands. A wonderfully shot drama about motherhood that doubles as an atmospheric political thriller. (International Film Festival Rotterdam)