“A chamber piece about the intersections between immovable cultural beliefs and the nature of the ever-changing world”

A brief glance at the work done by Nader Saeivar over the years reveals that he is someone who always has a firm grasp on the collective cultural pulse, whether as a director, writer or producer (although in many instances he serves in all three roles, and more), which has led him to develop a very strong vision as one of contemporary Iran’s most interesting filmmakers. His most recent global triumph came in his collaboration with Jafar Panahi, aiding him in the process of writing It Was Just an Accident – and the pair reunite again (albeit with Panahi taking on the roles of producer and editor) for Hijamat, a fascinating psychological drama about family and the ties that bind them together, sometimes against their better judgment. Set in Germany, the film follows Murat, a respected member of the community who is raising a happy family and who seems to be quite secure in his domestic and professional life. However, he is forced to reckon with a very uncomfortable situation when it is revealed that his younger brother Kerem is gay. This goes against the very strict religious beliefs of Islam, towards which both brothers are profoundly devout. This sets off a chain of events in which Murat is forced to reconcile his own beliefs with his love for his brother, plunging him into an existential crisis from which he discovers it is very difficult to escape. A well-crafted, meaningful drama that orbits around a complex subject with tact and respect, Hijamat is a very moving portrait of familial love and the challenges that come when certain secrets are revealed.

The assertion that religion can exist without addressing a subject like homosexuality is beyond archaic by this point, and we’re seeing a steadily growing canon of queer films that look at the intersection between faith and identity. While it is not the first film to explore queerness through the lens of Islam, Hijamat is still quite a provocative piece, especially in how it addresses the subject directly and without any attempt to soften some of its more harrowing socio-cultural blows, an admirable stance for the director to take. The film explores the tension that arises between two brothers, separated by many years (and therefore adding an element of a mentor-tutor to their dynamic, as Murat tries to guide Kerem through some of life’s more intimidating challenges), intent on showing him the path of righteousness while also simultaneously battling his own existential crises that emerge in the process. Even as a story of familial connection, the film is a fascinating piece, a chamber piece about the intersections between immovable cultural beliefs and the nature of the ever-changing world, to the point where one has to make the decision about whether to follow conventions or risk being ostracised for stepping out of line. It takes its initial cues from the debate between traditions and modernity, and whether they can co-exist peacefully. This all gradually evolves into an insightful and deeply unnerving confrontation of themes such as masculinity, identity and the role religion plays in defining one’s perspective on the surrounding world.    

The impact of Hijamat comes in how the director carefully pieces together a film that tackles an intimidating subject, deftly avoiding making it too heavy-handed while also ensuring that its emotional content, while sometimes quite harrowing, is never in doubt. It never becomes too overly dense in its messaging, choosing instead to rely on a more frank, candid depiction of these concepts and how they relate to both the characters within the context of this story, as well as the broader cultural conversation. A large part of the success of the film is borne in the collaboration between the director and his cast, since it is in the creation of these characters that the film manages to make quite an impression. The anchors of Hijamat are Kida Khodr Ramadan and Jael Cem Ilhan, who portray the two protagonists, helping to make some of the more abstract qualities of this story tangible. Much of the story is quite ambiguous, bordering on experimental in some parts (such as the intentionally vague final scenes), and in infusing their characters with the right amount of sincerity and complexity the actors manage to explore some deeper themes, often making use of non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, movements and gestures to communicate what dialogue could never appropriately convey. It is to be expected that a film like Hijamat is going to veer towards the intense, but it never comes across as manipulative. Saeivar ensures that everything is handled with the right amount of sensitivity (especially in terms of how he reconciles religious beliefs with contemporary social issues), making this film a far more nuanced exploration of identity than many other similarly themed works in recent years.

It is difficult not to admire a film that shows itself to be willing to take a few risks, and Hijamat knows exactly how to examine a challenging subject in a way that is provocative without courting controversy. Yet is also not too fervent in its intentions to unsettle the status quo, choosing instead to be practical in how it constructs the conversations around identity and masculinity. It seems to be quite fragile at the start, walking a narrow tonal tightrope between being a heartfelt story of an ordinary man’s earnest attempts to set his brother on the right path (since he chooses to believe that Kerem’s desires are just a momentary deviation from conventions, rather than the corruption of the soul that they are told it is). At the same time it’s also a haunting portrait of the same man falling into a state of existential angst as he realises that the sacred teachings he has attempted to assimilate into every aspect of his life may not be as ironclad as he was lead to believe throughout his life. It’s an exceptionally bold work, and it’s nothing short of admirable to see the extent to which Saeivar is willing to challenge established beliefs in pursuit of something incredibly resonant and undeniably challenging. Well-crafted, beautifully written, and built around two excellent performances from a pair of actors who commit wholeheartedly to this daunting premise, Hijamat is a very effective psychological drama that confronts some difficult themes with the right amount of forcefulness and tact, being an essential piece of socially charged filmmaking that is dedicated to its intentions of interrogating some truly complex themes.