The Violent Story

The depiction of violence in Iranian cinema has always been debated. The vitality of this issue is due to the desire of right-wing groups to restrict cinema. Conversely, reformists want to escape these ‘accusations’ and the ensuing censorship. This article argues that both groups are inaccurate because they view violence in cinema as moments and images rather than a narrative process. Following Galtung’s definition of violence, in analyzing A Separation by Asghar Farhadi, this investigation will demonstrate that narrative films have a process where different modes of violence are depicted. In this film, the beginning introduces latent violence, violence becomes manifest, the conflict starts, and the film ends in peace, which can be positive or negative. A Separation ends in the latter mode, creating a sense of void and continuous violence after the end of the physical time of the film.