How Bitter Can Life Be?!

April 27, 2002 - 0:0
Taraneh is a young adult in an exceptional situation, just like a great number of young adults in our society who are struggling with their problems and crises in different ways. Though Taraneh is a quite sensible girl for her age, she, too, fails to make the right decision but she is not to blame.

She is a 15-year-old girl who lives with her grandmother and visits her father in prison every week. She is so lonely and desperate that she has to go to school and work. As a result, she sweetly smiles at the first young boy who tells her, "I love you!" She is so simple and naive that she believes Amir and falls into a trap. She is sacrificed because she has no one around to support her.

One of the most interesting points in the film is the friendly relationship of Taraneh and her father and their sincere dialogues during visiting hours at prison. Unfortunately, even her father can not do anything for her. Although it is not clear why he is in prison, his misdeeds inevitably affect Taraneh's life and no one can deny this fact. She is so lonely and tired that she can't think straight and so excited that she agrees to marry Amir without knowing why she loves him and how long the love will last. And she still wonders if her feeling is love or something else? But her marriage is not an ordinary one because her mother-in-law, Mrs. Keshmiri, suggests sigheh (temporary marriage). Later, Mrs. Keshmiri accuses Taraneh of having had an illegitimate relationship with another man and blaming her son for it, although she never told her own son to be careful and know his limits and boundaries towards Taraneh. So Taraneh is once again entangled. She is the one who has to fight for her life and prove her innocence. It is never explained why they go to a public office for a separation since their marriage was temporary and would have expired in time. Later, when Taraneh finds out that she is pregnant, she has no one to give her a hand. It is a bitter fact that people never support someone who is alone. Only God helps everyone in every situation and Taraneh senses God's presence in her life.

Fortunately, Taraneh is a self-confident person and, to be honest, she has acquired this valuable characteristic as a result of her situation. Besides, her father trusts his daughter and always counts on her. This attitude helps Taraneh, even during the most serious crisis of her life, becoming a mother at the age of 15. Director Rasoul Sadr Ameli shows some aspects of the lives of runaway girls and their difficulties. Most of these girls get into serious trouble and are never able to save themselves. Who will ease the sufferings and cure the deep afflictions of a lonely girl in an indifferent and heartless world? Fortunately, she is a resourceful girl and eventually overcomes her difficulties. But how many people can do what she did? Many of these teenagers and young adults await a far more bitter future.