Trust cinema – According to Isna, Jennifer Green, film critic, journalist of Hollywood Reporter, Seattle Times, and San Francisco Chronicle magazines, in a new note about the movie “In the Embrace of the Tree” in the Alliance of Women Film Journalist magazine, describing the movie. The movie “In the embrace of the tree” the representative of Iran’s Oscar 2025 published a note.
This note states: “In the embrace of the tree” with a family, intimate and at the same time global story has been chosen as Iran’s representative in the international section of the Oscars. The first film of Babak Lotfi Khajepasha, the writer and director, promises the emergence of a remarkable talent.
Although the film “In the embrace of the tree” deals with the issue of divorce, it avoids controversial issues. Its story powerfully supports the institution of the family, and its filming highlights the beauty of Iran’s nature. This work is full of symbolism as if the elements of nature play a role in the lives of the characters and predict future events.
Kimia (Maral Bani Adam) and Farid (Javad Qamati) are looking for separation due to Kimia’s mysterious illness. Kimia, who shows signs of anxiety, can’t pass the 15-kilometer road sign outside the city, constantly chews on her fingers, sometimes passes out, and has an all-encompassing sense of dread (like seeing sheep the color of tombstones). He says that he is “depressed and lethargic” and this state is out of his control. Farid still seems to love her and wants to maintain their relationship, although she also occasionally dates a younger worker.
Their plan is to take one of their sons (Ahura and Rayan Lotfi) with them. But 11-year-old Taha and her five-year-old brother, Alisan, are inseparable. The grown-up Tahai takes care of the Alisans while their parents are mostly absent and their irresponsible uncle, who acts as a temporary nanny, behaves almost abusively – although Reza (Ruhullah Zamani) also likes the boys and spends a lot of time with them.
Parents are advised to practice spacing so that the boys get used to the separation, but most people around them say that Alisan will die without Taha. In fact, Taha saves Alisan’s life in the opening scene of the movie. This is one example of the use of foreshadowing in the film. Taha sees the white balloon that Alisan always ties on his arm, among the trees. A box of ducklings entrusted to Taha and the imminent death of the family farm’s fish also parallel the later events in the film.
When Farid tries to take Taha with him even for a day, they have a small accident. Farid explains the upcoming separation to Taha as they sit on a rock overlooking a river that cuts through a valley and is another symbol of separation – the border between Iran and Turkey.
“Embraced by the Tree” recently received the Special Jury Award at the 10th Los Angeles Asian Film Festival. The film tells its story in a calculated way, sticking close to the family members and revealing clues that lead to a powerful and poignant climax in the third act, where the characters, realistically portrayed by powerful performances, They are forced to take a new look at their lives.
“In the embrace of the tree” is the official representative of Iranian cinema in the category of the best international film of Oscar 2025. After reviewing the films submitted by different countries, the Oscar Academy finally announced the list of 85 films as eligible works for the Best International Film category of the 2025 Oscar Awards.
Oscar 2025 preliminary voting will be held from December 9 to 13, and all three final lists of the Best International Film, Animation and Documentary category will be determined on December 17 (December 27). The closing ceremony of the 97th Academy Awards will be held on March 2 (the morning of Sunday, March 12) at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.