A film by Mohammad Shirvani
Cesarean
Weekend
A visceral Iranian drama that compresses family friction, raw physical presence, and deep psychological secrets into one explosive weekend. It is an unflinching, high-stakes exploration of a household on the verge of total collapse.
Synopsis
Milad and Armin share an undefined intimacy. Bita’s pregnancy with Milad and the sudden return of their long-absent fathers shatter their fragile balance, placing them in a future they refuse to inherit.
Written & Directed
Mohammad Shirvani
Cinematography
Mohammad Shirvani
Editing
Mohammad Shirvani
Producer
Mohammad Shirvani
Associate Producer
Alireza Shirvani
Country
Iran
Cast
Nader Mashayekhi
Peyman Yeganeh
Milad Ahmadzadeh
Armin Shirvani
Bita Jamshidi
In the Eyes of Critics
Selected international reviews.
Clarence Tsui, The Film Verdict
“Having spent the past decade producing raw films from young cineastes, the maverick filmmaker has now returned with something that subverts expectations about narrative, characters and space.”
Marc Bogoslaw, Achssprünge
“Free-spirited Iranian cinema that leaves Panahi and co. in the dust with its playfulness and wild experimentation, but is no less political for that.”
Begoña del Teso, El Diario Vasco
“Cesarean Weekend subverts all our ideas about Iranian cinema, thank goodness.”
Marina Richter, Asian Movie Pulse
“It deep-dives behind the staged picture of Iranian society, sweeping away the standard tropes that international audiences are usually fed. […] ‘Cesarean Weekend’ is a film you won’t easily forget.”
Matthew Joseph Jenner, International Cinephile Society
“[…] in addition to the clear queer overtones that are not directly addressed but rather quietly pulsate beneath the surface, the film attempts to provide a stark portrait of fragile masculinity in the modern world.”
Martha Bird, Film Fest Report
“Once again Shirvani breaks cultural taboos with scenes of physical intimacy filmed inside Iran depict images unseen on domestic screens since the 1979 revolution.”
Director’s Note
“It is not a pleasant weekend at all; there is a blade, there is a cutting, there is a peeling; it hurts.”
— Mohammad Shirvani, Arsenal Forum Interview
Press Materials
For full details, credits, stills and press information, download the official press kit.