This review is part of Blitz’s continued coverage of the 71st Sydney Film Festival, 5-16 June. Read the rest of our reviews here.   

I walked into the screening of Achilles at Event Cinemas, George Street not knowing what to expect and was admittedly a little sceptical. However, I was soon proven wrong and quite frankly blown away. For what felt like ages after the credits rolled, I remained in my seat and my heart raced. I wanted to cry out loud, yet I remained speechless. Such was the sheer emotion that a single viewing of Achilles elicited. Riveting, unforgettable and heart-wrenching, this powerful commentary is a sneak peek into the lives of people who have been rendered voiceless and powerless in an oppressive regime that threatens to consume and silence them. The film deftly tackles themes of alienation, trauma, rebellion, and friendship in a refreshingly honest and daring representation of the civilian reaction to Iran’s socio-political dynamics.   

     Via SFF 

Despite the government’s restrictions on filmmakers, Farhad Delaram’s tour de force manages to capture the extent of the effect of the regime on civilians, portraying their fears and suffering with delicate sensitivity through the convincing and moving lead performances of Mirsaeed Molavian and Behdokht Valian. The director’s own apprehensions about the country’s political climate reflect in his protagonist, Farid (Mirsaeed Molavian), known as Achilles, forced to live a life he did not choose, having been forced to abandon his successful career as a filmmaker to work as a hospital worker reducing his life to a meaningless existence evident from the signs of depression and insomnia. He spends his days reluctantly and listlessly fulfilling his duties and nights lying awake in his car, much to the chagrin of his friend Masoud who helped him get the hospital job and his family, consisting of his father and ex-wife Sana who are clearly worried about him.  

The mundanity of his solitary existence continues until he crosses paths with a psychiatric patient in the hospital ward that alters the course of his life irrevocably. The patient, Hedieh (Behdokht Valian), is plagued by her own demons and “the walls that are never quiet” which is a metaphor for her perceived trauma and mental agony after years of institutionalisation. Hedieh longs to escape the confinement which she has been subjected to and one night, Achilles fulfils her wish and breaks her out of the hospital. This begins a long road trip without a specific destination of two lost souls who only have one purpose and that is to keep moving. The journey that follows furthers the bond between two unlikely individuals that poses extreme consequences for all involved.  

Behdokht Valian as Hedieh is a revelation who delivers a nuanced performance of a brave, intelligent woman fiercely determined to escape the life of confinement to which she has been condemned due to her activities against the regime. The film shows us glimpses of her resilience and hope amidst adversity through her luminous smiles and her pleasure in the small joys of life. Molavian is her faithful companion who steers and accompanies her on her journey to finding herself once again. Their on-screen friendship unfolds gradually as Achilles strives to protect Hedieh from the authorities pursuing her and find meaning in his own life by granting her requests. It is a heart-warming symbiotic relationship where both need each other to survive and feel a sense of balance. Achilles puts Hedieh’s safety ahead of his and takes numerous risks to ensure her safety and painstaking measures to reunite her with her daughter. It is a profound display of selflessness and courage that reveals the depth of the human spirit when faced with uncertainty.   

The film brilliantly employs its resounding background score to create a sense of urgency that matches the pace of the nomadic protagonists. The scenes shift seamlessly, and the film plays out like a travelogue where the viewer is a passenger in the backseat going along for the ride and watching every conversation, every pitstop. One conversation that twisted my heart was when Hedieh comforts Farid’s guilt by echoing the words he comforted her with earlier “Everyone who put this thought into your head wanted to hurt you” and that struck a painful chord. There were some scenes that left me guessing and even confused due to the fast pace, but there were enough breadcrumbs left behind to put the pieces together. The fallout from their actions is only alluded to through voice messages and texts from a concerned Sana leaving the viewer to imagine what may have transpired in the background. 

“Dedicated to the people of Iran who can no longer tolerate the walls”. 

Via SFF 

The making of the film is an inspiring showcase of resilience and courage in itself as it had to overcome numerous obstacles to reach the big screen. Mirroring his protagonists’ perilous journey, Delaram had to ensure any chance that his film saw the light of day. He submitted an alternative script to the government as he lost hope that his script would get approved owing to Iran’s strict censorship rules and turned down the request of the authorities to screen the film, claiming it was incomplete. He seized the chance to escape to Toronto where it was finally screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. Delaram had to make this difficult choice to convey his message to a wide audience despite the looming threat of unrest back home. This work of art is the culmination of the extraordinary efforts of a courageous individual, telling the story of courageous individuals who dared to shatter the walls around them, if just for a singular moment of freedom.  

Anu Chandrasekhar is a second-year Juris Doctor candidate. When she’s not despairing over law readings, she can be found updating her Letterboxd preferences or scouring Reddit black hole for underrated movie finds. A self-professed bibliophile, books are her first love, and she is still waiting for the film adaptation of her favourite book, the Invisible Life of Addie Larue.