Ghasr-e Shirin

An ex-con named Jalal (Hamed Behdad) wants nothing to do with his estranged young children. They only know of him through the heroic stories crafted by their sickly mother. But her futile attempts to fortify the happiness myth haven’t really fooled anyone. This facade of family was destined to come crashing down, and that’s exactly what happens after a series of unfortunate events force Jalal to reluctantly take custody of the kids. An impending road trip across the Iranian countryside becomes a reckoning of comeuppance that unfolds during bitter arguments and lengthy episodes of silence. Trapped in the tight confines of their car, Jalal tries and fails to evade the paternal responsibility staring back at him. (San Diego Asian Film Festival)