Iranian writer-director Hassan Nazer follows up his BAFTA Scotland-winning Winners with Without Permission. A film that blurs the lines between fact and fiction, following an exiled Iranian filmmaker who, when denied permission to make his film, secretly turns to children to capture the voices of a new generation, risking everything to explore love, identity, and freedom in a society determined to silence them.
It has been said that “children are the future”, and it is hard to disagree when presented with this cross-section of the next generation. Everyone who appears in the film is performing on camera for the first time, and there is a charm and innocence to them all. It is fascinating to see how broad and diverse the range of viewpoints within the group. Some respect traditions, while others rail against them. Some are shy and cautious in their responses, whilst others are born to be in front of the camera. Take Hasti, for example. She exudes a confidence and forthrightness that is unexpected in someone so young. Assured in her belief that other cultures are more welcoming and superior to her own, she sings a K-Pop song on camera, which flies in the face of other girls who still believe that the female voice is forbidden in public.
A lot of this may seem difficult to comprehend for Western audiences, but using children as the conduit for the story gives us the chance to see a country through their eyes. Even if some of the questions being asked feel, at times, more grown-up in theme and tone.
The story switches between the children and scenes of a man talking to the camera about his disintegrating marriage. There is a natural dichotomy between the two that highlights the generational difference. Through the audition process, the director pulls out a sense of hope and warmth towards love and relationships, whilst the man exudes bitterness and resentment.
Similarly, there is a powerful contrast between the scenes of the filmmaker and the assistant director driving around the rocky vistas whilst discussing production, and the auditions with the children that take place within a clandestine bunker. On one hand, there is a vast, open landscape that represents endless possibilities, and so many roads to travel. And yet the truth is one of restriction and darkness. The only way to be “free” to tell the stories you want to, is to go underground, literally.
The seemingly disparate strands weave themselves together in the final act that documents the struggles, and inherent dangers, that come with this cinematic act of defiance. At a time when cinema needs to be both a tool for escapism and to hold a mirror up to society, Nazer’s film is one where the reward was worth the risk.
Without Permission had its UK premiere at Glasgow Film Festival on March 3
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Director: Hassan Nazer
Stars: Behrouz Sebt Rasoul, Setareh Fakhari, Mehdi Mehri
Runtime: 80 minutes
Country: Iran/Scotland
