The Symphony (2023 film)

The Symphony
Theatrical release poster
سمفونی Samfoni
Directed by	Samir Ershadi
Written by	Peyman Farhadi Samir Ershadi
Screenplay by	Abubakr Hussein
Based on	Warehouse of Shattered Dreams by Afsaneh Khorsadi
Starring	Sareh Asgar Azar Safiyari Mahrdad Husseinzadeh Samira Barmada Ali Ayad Jean-Pierre Betancourt
Cinematography	Muhammad Zafiri
Edited by	Abdul Fattah Bashar
Music by	Sattar Amiri
Production company	Azadi Studios
Distributed by	Azadi Studios
Release dates	10 October, 2023 (Montecara) 18 October, 2023 (Worldwide)
Running time	166 minutes
Country	Zorasan
Languages	Pasdani Rahelian Estmerish Gaullican
Budget	€17 milliion

The Symphony (Pasdani: سمفونی; Samfoni) is a 2023 pyschological drama film directed by Samir Ershadi and produced by the Werania-based Azadi Studios. The film is based upon the 2016 international best selling novel Warehouse of Shattered Dreams by Afsaneh Khorsadi and stars Sareh Asgar as the main character, alongside Azar Safiyari and Mahrdad Husseinzadeh. The screenplay was produced by award-winning Abubakr Hussein and the musical score was developed and recorded by Sattar Amiri. The film follows Shirin, a young and talented cellist through her ordeal as she is arrested and tested by AKHID, the Zorasani military secret police. The film is to premier at the 84th Montecara Film Festival on 10 October 2023, with the public release scheduled for 18 October.

Plot

The film begins with Shirin (Asgar) saying over a blank screen, “not all symphonies are of the instrument kind.”

In 2022, Zahedan park, Shirin is seen playing the cello to an open-air amphitheatre before an enraptured and enthralled audience, delivering her a standing ovation. Backstage, she is praised and warmly embraced by her mother Taraneh (Safiyari), who then hands her phone showing her father by video-call, who warmly congratulates her on her talent. Mother and daughter proceed home and, in the car, Taraneh informs Shirin that Karim, a life-long family friend and love interest was present, though to Shirin’s ambivalence, reminding her mother that Karim is surrounded by rumours.

The following morning, Shirin is pleasantly surprised to see her act well reviewed in the Zahedan city newspaper, Taraneh joins her daughter in celebrating, before telling her that Abbas, Shirin’s tutor and de-facto agent had called saying that her performance was also witnessed by spotters from the National Conservatory for Music, the most prestigious music school in Zorasan. Within several days, Shirin receives a formal offer to perform a review at the Conservatory, with the possibility of securing a senior scholarship. The news is well received in the family household with Shirin receiving a lavish family dinner from her parents. Both reveal to her that before she was born, they both had dreams, Taraneh hoped to become a dancer and Ghassan an actor. Both were denied the chance by the tumultuous events of the 1970s, and the Zorasani regime’s push for the populace to work productive jobs. Taraneh expresses hopes that Shirin will achieve her dreams unlike herself.

Several days later, Shirin informs her colleagues and boss at the pharmaceutical firm she works at of the offer, all express happiness for Shirin’s chance to pursue her musical interests and talents, including the firm manager, Javad, who goes on to declare his pride in her. Over the course of two weeks, Shirin is shown to practice intensely, eating and sleeping little, it impacts her at work, yet she persists.

As the Review Day approaches, Shirin and her co-workers attend the firm’s mandatory Front Group Session, led by the company’s in-house NRF cadre. The Cadre extols the virtues of commitment, labour and sacrifice, reminding the company workers that their responsibilities go beyond earning a wage, but also to contributing to national rejuvenation in the name of each other and the state. The Cadre then proceeds to target Shirin, condemning her for her lack of energy, her distraction and her “nebulous pursuits beyond the national goal.” He further proceeds to question her commitment to the Ettehad. Rankled, Shirin retaliates by condemning the Cadre, the Front and the regime for its ignorance, its cruelty toward creativity and its soulless nature. Javad, horrified at the outburst, hastily fires Shirin on the spot, saying the company would never tolerate a lack of commitment to national rejuvenation.

Leaving the office distraught, Shirin is caught on the street by Karim, who consoles her and escorts Shirin home. Shirin informs her parents of her sacking but is comforted by her parents promising to support her no matter what.

Shirin, practicing for her review is loudly interrupted by the pro-regime rally taking place on the square beside her family’s apartment. Calling Karim, she requests use of his apartment for practice, to which he agrees. Arriving she remarks on the plug sockets and light fixtures being torn out, to which he dismisses as re-wiring. Later, Karim compliments Shirin’s talent and beauty and the two kiss before she departs.

On the day of the Review, Shirin plays well, impressing the judges and is formally offered a scholarship. In celebration she is joined by her parents and extended family for a celebratory dinner and later that evening is invited by Karim to a party. Arriving in an abandoned warehouse in southern Zahedan, Shirin is shocked to find same-sex couples, excessive drinking, drug taking, and dartboards made of portraits of regime officials. Despite reservations, she drinks and dances the night away with Karim.

During her induction to the Conservatory, Shirin meets Paul Fladrin, a young Gaullican film score composer, studying Pardarian traditional music. The two quickly grow close and enter a romantic relationship, albeit secretly due to conservative Zahedani society. In the early hours of the morning, Shirin’s sleep is disturbed by crashes and shouting in the family kitchen. As she goes to investigate, she hears her mother’s pleas and her father be knocked down - three masked men storm into her room and grab her, dragging her to a van outside. Her head covered by a black sack; she is unable to tell where she is going.

Shirin is taken to an undisclosed location, her head is shaven and violently stripped of clothing and forced to don a filthy gown, before being dragged to a concrete room with only a single chair for furniture. Alone, Shirin is overwhelmed by the sounds of her surroundings. The walls and ceiling reverberate with screaming, crying and loud thuds, a cacophony of suffering and breaks down in tears.

Two days pass for Shirin, without food or water and each night she endures the same sounds, denying her sleep. On the fourth day of her incarceration, a uniformed AKHID officer enters her room. Confirming her name and address, he demands an apology from Shirin, who pleads ignorance, he responds by smacking Shirin across the face. This repeats several times before the officer leaves Shirin, her face bloodied.

That night, as Shirin attempts to distract herself from the haunting sounds of the building, she discovers a crack in the wall, leading to the cell next door. Imprisoned within is Fatimah, who reveals she and her husband were both detained by AKHID for running an illegal underground school for Zorasani-Rahelian children. Fatimah also reveals that AKHID have left her husband’s body in her room for five days. Over the course of the night, the two develop a bond, with Fatimah attempting to help Shirin identify her crime.

The following day, the officer returns with another, again he demands an apology from Shirin, and in turn she again demands to know what for. In response, the second officer begins to attack Shirin with a cane, the main officer observing over a cup of tea. A meal is then brought to Shirin but is told due to her obstinance it will be denied, the AKHID officer then throws the entire meal over her and leaves. That night during a conversation with Fatimah, who is now emotionally broken, Shirin informs Fatimah that she may have been detained for the party with Karim or her relationship with Paul but realises confessing to the wrong one many doubly condemn her.

The morning brings the return of the officer, who promptly has Shirin strapped to the room’s chair. A second officer enters with a medical trolley carrying multiple sharp instruments. The AKHID officer again demands an apology, warning Shirin that ignorance will lead to serious consequences. Unable to secure an apology, the second officer begins to remove Shirin’s fingernails with plyers. Again, unable to secure an apology, the second guard prepares to cut off Shirin’s index finger before being stopped by the lead officer. He then pours a water bottle overhead and they leave with Shirin still strapped to the chair. That night, strapped to the chair, guards bring in a television which plays CCTV footage of the violence being perpetrated throughout the facility and is left on till dawn. This has a traumatic effect on Shirin.

The next morning, the officer and another return. Though failing to unstrap Shirin, the second begins to feed her rotten eggs, the first food she has had since her arrival. The lead officer again pleads for Shirin to confess to her crime and apologise to the State, unable to due to ignorance, he again pours a water bottle over head and leaves. That night, Shirin is viciously beaten with metal bars.

The following morning, the officer and a guard return. The officer now seated opposite Shirin condemns those who abandon Ettehad, pursuing selfish ends at the expense of the collective good. He insults Shirin as a selfish and arrogant disgrace and explains that obstinance toward the state is tantamount to sedition. He gives her one last chance to apologise, to which she again fails. The guard, then produces a gun and points it at Shirin’s head, he pulls the trigger but reveals it is unloaded. This emotionally breaks Shirin, the AKHID officer caresses her shaven head and offers her one last chance to avoid a bullet.

That evening, Shirin begins to compose music to the sounds of the violence around, humming along to the screams, the sounds of squeaky wheels and boots skidding on concrete echoing around her. Fatimah compliments her music, to which Shirin replies, “its our symphony, no brass, no strings, just people” and the screen turns to black.

A year later, Shirin is shown playing a cello to an audience in Verlois, as she receives a standing ovation, the faces of the audience turn bloodied and scarred and she bows.

Cast

Sareh Asgar.

Azar Safiyari.

• Sareh Asgar: Shirin Kosari. The main character and based upon the character of the same name from the novel. Asgar, though born in Zorasan emigrated to Estmere when she was 13, and has long been a champion for human rights and civil liberties. She was offered the role when the film entered development. Both Asgar and director Ershadi have described Shirin as a composite character, personifying all victims of the Zorasani regime.
• Azar Safiyari: Taraneh Kosari. The secondary character, based upon the character of the same name from the novel, albeit made Shirin's mother rather than aunt. Safiyari was studying dramatics in Gaullica when her first husband was detained and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1981 for crimes against the state, fearing reprisal she remained in Gaullica and has dedicated the role to her first husband who died in prison in 1986. Safiyari, worked with Ershadi on several previous productions, and is acclaimed within Euclean film and television.
• Mahrdad Husseinzadeh: AKHID Officer. Though named in the novel, the chief tormentor of Shirin goes without identity in the film, a decision made by Ershadi to reflect the facelessness of the Zorasani regime's enforcers. Husseinzadeh moved to Estmere in 1992 and is credited with many antagonist roles in television and film.
• Samira Barmada: Fatimah (voice only)
• Ali Ayad: Karim
• Jean-Pierre Betancourt: Paul Fladrin

See also

• 84th Montecara Film Festival