SCREEN INTERNATIONAL
"...a powerful debut with his story of a young Iranian diver…"
"There is no question about the quality of film-making throughout. Persuasively acted by the two very charismatic leads, and atmospherically photographed by Ashkan Ashkani the picture introduces German-Iranian director Behrooz Karamizade as a talent of real promise."

VARIETY
"… Lean, engrossing…"
"As a portrait of entrenched inequality and diminished opportunities in contemporary Iran, this simple, solemn tale could hardly be more damning..."

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
"Impressive Feature Debut Is a Gritty Iranian Gut Punch…"
"Lead actor Abbasi powerfully conveys Amir’s gradual transformation…"

DEADLINE
"Abbasi is particularly good in this respect, a modest but charismatic leading man, in the style of Gael García Bernal, who engages us even as he fails ever further downwards."

THE FILM VERDICT
"A layered screenplay, pristine cinematography and strong performances across the board make this a gripping, emblematic story of hardship and the overwhelming force of social power structures..."
"Reza Abbasi has just the right boyish appeal to play the naïf and is suitably charismatic in his early scenes with Asgari, with whom he shares great chemistry."

Synopsis

Twenty somethings Amir and Narges have found what feels like true love in their hometown by the coast of the Caspian sea. But in today’s Iran that’s far from enough to build a life together, and they are forced to keep the relationship secret. To win over Narges’ upper class family and pay an appropriate dowry, Amir needs money, and he needs it fast. With his back against the wall, Amir finds work at a local fishery, where he is drawn into the dangerous but lucrative business of black market caviar smuggling. As Amir’s values are compromised by the illegal underworld, Narges stalls for time and tries to delay the arranged marriage her parents are planning for her. Can their love, hopes and dreams survive the tightly knit web of tradition, corruption, and social hierarchy that continues to rule over the lives of a new generation in Iran?