Divorce Iranian Style Essay

DIVORCE IRANIAN STYLE
Gilbert Ndahayo
PhD French/Francophone Studies Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois, USA
Gilbert Ndahayo
PhD Candidate
Department of French and Italian
Northwestern University
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail] www.imdb.com/name/nm3107554 http://www.frenchanditalian.northwestern.edu/people/graduate-students/gilbert- ndahayo.html
The documentary film “Divorce Iranian Style”, implicitly indicts viewers into Iran during the period of Islamic law. The filmmakers, Kim Longinotto and Zibar Mir- Hosseini, were given carte blanche by the judges; they were allowed to film with complete impunity. This gave the filmmakers a rare opportunity to interact with the plaintiffs and the accused equally:
The couple has been married for roughly thirty years. The woman makes the case that she is not even allowed to use the house phone, much more make “intimate phone calls.” Although she protests wholeheartedly against the judge’s wish to reconcile them, her husband insists that she should at least have good behavior. A comedy of errors in which the laugh track is mute: state-sponsored abetted rape. Life is difficult in Iran for half of the population.
Despite the document written by the police, the legacy of Islamic Law and its unassailable interpretations, such as “after the husband, the wife is the boss” (00:03:25), and further, “once he has paid you compensation, he can divorce you” (00:04:00) do not allow the viewers to make a difference between reconciling the marriage and the rights of a woman (whose husband disallows her to use a phone, any phone, even to converse with her son, their son).
With a smooth camera movement, panning from the judge to the couple (00:3:58);
One of the key elements this film documents is the dichotomy between men and women in the eyes of the Iranian court. From the start of the film this becomes clear as the documentary shows the two entrances for men and women as they enter the courthouse. As the men enter they are searched for weapons and cell phones, and as the women enter they are examined to ensure they are dressed according to Islamic standards and guidelines. As the men and women stand before the judge and argue their case the differences between the men and women become even more readily apparent. While the women often plead their cases vigorously, alleging everything from infidelity to domestic abuse, they are almost constantly reminded that divorce is greatly frowned upon by Islam, and if they would try harder at home (i.e. wear makeup around the house, make themselves more attractive, show more respect for their husbands) many of the allegations would resolve