Directed by Elahe Esmaili, against the backdrop of the Women, Life, Freedom protest movement in Iran, Elahe Esmaili is helping her parents to pack up the family home. As the boxes stack up, discussions flare between the generations: Elahe does not wear the hijab, embodying the courage of her generation’s struggles. But can changing a society be as simple as moving house?
The conversation about women’s freedoms and rights in parts of the world like Iran, where today’s generations are still continuing the fight for a better future, is an inherently political and complex topic but Elahe Esmaili chooses to approach it in a natural and almost casual manner. It’s a relaxed style, following how these discussions happen in everyday life between family and friends, but it still holds plenty of tension. Particularly when it comes to Esmaili’s mother, you can see how difficult it is for her to reconcile her perspective with Esmaili’s wishes.
That brings us to what is a very interesting and relevant point that Esmaili makes, which is asking where the line is between being respectful of others and disrespecting yourself. It delves into the importance of standing your ground to push for change, rather than giving in simply to make others feel more comfortable. A Move highlights how it’s those little questions and choices which can help to make larger change. It’s not just about protests, it’s also encouraging the people in your own life to accept progress, to help them see how important it is, which can then be passed on to others.
It was a wonderful choice on the part of Elahe Esmaili to approach it in this way and use such an accessible style. It’s personal but not overly so, it’s about her experience but also reflects so many other women. Part of which is shown by exploring other women’s opinions, and that it’s not all or nothing, it’s about choice, with some of them preferring to wear the hijab. A Move also has a good sense of humour, it doesn’t take itself too seriously and keeps a certain lightness within its heavy topic.
A Move takes a step back, bringing the topic of women’s freedoms back home and looking at it through a lens of friends and family. It captures the necessity of these conversations on the smaller scale, helping those close to you understand the importance of having choices and how bowing to please others undermines that. Elahe Esmaili creates a wonderfully organic flow to the film, it’s personal, relevant and poignant but she makes it an open conversation not a debate. Esmaili approaches the subject in a friendly, accessible way, which was a clever and effective choice.
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