Born in Evin (2020)

Born in Evin (2020)

Born in Iran's worst prison, a filmmaker's quest for truth

7.5

Movie

Austria, Germany
English, French, German
Documentary
2020
FEMALE DIRECTOR, MARYAM ZAREE
Marya Sirous, Maryam Zaree, Soraya Zangbari
98 min

What it's about

Follows filmmaker and actress, Maryam Zaree, on her quest to find out the violent circumstances surrounding her birth inside one of the most notorious political prisons in the world.

The take

This earnest documentary is about filmmaker and actress Maryam Zaree's journey to unravel the truth about her birth. Her parents are part of a generation of Iranian revolutionaries who were jailed, many executed, and now have taken exile in Europe. The torture and difficult prison conditions they experienced are cause for so much trauma that Maryam, born in prison, has not been told anything about her birth. Her mom, now Germany's first foreign-born mayor, cannot get past tears to tell a story that Maryam is determined to know. 

Her mom is not the only one who is unable to tell the story, as Maryam's quest uncovers more silence. In the end, Born in Evin is as much about the question of "is the truth worth getting told?" as it is about the truth itself. It's a heartfelt exploration of trauma, both for the generation that experienced it and for the generation that follows.

Comments

Add a comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Magnus (2016)

The rise of our time's best chess player

7.0

Midnight Traveler (2019)

Cellphone-filmed story of two filmmakers and their daughters who become refugees

7.3

Tomorrow (2015)

A positive solution-oriented documentary on climate change

7.6

Human Flow (2017)

7.5

Fire of Love (2022)

A gorgeous deep dive into the explosive love story between two scientists and their craft

8.4

Nothing Compares (2022)

A long overdue reassessment of an artist ahead of her time

8.9

Encounters at the End of the World (2007)

6.9

Flee (2021)

A humanizing look at the refugee crisis

8.5

To Be and To Have (2002)

A deeply charming school-set documentary that overflows with all the warmth and wonder of its subjects

9.0

Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin (2019)

A travelogue through various uncanny mysteries, and a love letter to a dearly departed friend

7.9

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.