Written and directed by Babak Jalali, co-written by Carolina Cavalli, Donya works for a Chinese fortune cookie factory. Formerly a translator for the U.S. military, she struggles to put her life back in order. In a moment of sudden revelation, she decides to send out a special message in a cookie. Starring: Anaita Wali Zada, Jeremy Allen White, Gregg Turkington, Hilda Schmelling, Avis See-tho, Siddique Ahmed, Taban Ibraz.

It’s rare that you find a film which deals with issues of trauma, conflict, immigration, misogyny and relationships in one film, let alone in such a charming, compelling and utterly accessible style. Babak Jalali creates an atmosphere, particularly when combined with the use of black and white, that harks back to films like Minari, Paterson, Roma, Limbo and C’mon C’mon. It takes these heavy, complex issues and opens them up into an endearing, personal tale of reflection and acceptance.

The aesthetic has such a warmth and depth, it immediately draws you in and is consistently excellent throughout. Despite knowing when it takes place, there’s a timeless feel to it, the style takes from many different decades of cinema. It particularly feels reminiscent of the 1970s and their penchant for winding stories and following life’s small but significant adventures, akin to Cassavetes.

One of the huge strengths of Fremont is that it holds an incredible weight which you can feel right from the very beginning. It has a fascinating presence which is in no small part thanks to the excellent debut performance from Anaita Wali Zada. It’s honestly difficult to believe that it’s her first film appearance because she creates such a complex personality to Donya and does so effortlessly.

You can clearly see her struggle and how she puts forth her strength to try and mask that but she’s also funny and smart, there’s a great wit at work both within her portrayal and the writing. She’s incredibly easy to watch and brings a note of unpredictability while the story flows so smoothly and with an absorbingly casual air.

To call Fremont simple would do it a disservice but in both the direction and writing there’s a classic elegance and grace, not unlike dramas in the golden age of Hollywood. It envelops all the intricacies of the different issues at work and wanders through them in a thoughtful, patient manner.

Then it pairs that refined nature with brilliant cameos which up the notes of comedy. Particularly Boots Riley and Jeremy Allen White, White creates such an endearing and beautifully awkward chemistry with Zada. His character brings out the sweetness to Donya which is genuinely lovely to watch, and it will leave you wishing you could stay longer with these characters.

Fremont is brilliant, funny, charming and wonderfully layered. Anaita Wali Zada gives a terrific performance, creating this fantastic character who is effortless to watch while capturing an impressive complexity. The writing is pitch perfect, encompassing the many different issues at play while also being genuinely entertaining, its moment with ‘the deer’ is a particularly exceptional piece of writing. On top of all of that, it’s visually stunning and should undoubtedly be in contention for one of the best films of the year.

Verdict: ✯✯✯✯✯ | 10/10

In UK Cinemas from 15 September

Reviewed as part of Edinburgh International Film Festival 2023