Ava

Ava (V) (2017) is an Iranian/Canadian film written and directed by Sadaf Foroughi .

The movie stars Mahour Jabbari in the title role. The plot is said to be based on the adolescent life of the director.

By now (sadly) we are accustomed to films in which cultural and religious norms rigidly restrict the freedom of young people, especially young women.

Ava is such a film, but it stands out for two reasons. The first is the excellent talent of the director. Foroughi makes the frustrations of the young protagonist almost palpable.

The second reason is the immense talent with which Mahour Jabbari portrays the protagonist. Ava has a mind and will of her own, and she does her best to carry out her life in a way that will give her satisfaction. Of course, every way she turns she is stymied.

We saw the Rochester premiere of Ava at the wonderful Dryden Theatre of the George Eastman Museum. It will work well on the small screen.

This movie has an anemic IMDb rating of 6.7. This is a case where I say, "Did they see the same film that I saw?" It's a truly great film. Try to find it and see it.

P.S. In a real-life parallel to the film, Mahour Jabbari was denied a visa to attend the world premiere of Ava in Toronto. Apparently, some of the xenophobia we now have in the U.S. has spread to Canada. Is the Canadian government truly afraid of a young Iranian woman actor? That's pathetic.

Thanks to Ava I don't wanna have kids. Well acted but the en falls flat

I watched this film at TIFF. Given its genre, I expected more from it. That said, I couldn't help but feel enthusiastic seeing it as the director's debut. The topic was genuinely compelling and held strong potential, but unfortunately, it wasn't fully realized in the final execution.

Among the characters, only the teenage lead stood out with depth and believability. The rest, particularly the father, felt underdeveloped or lost in the narrative. There were several inconsistencies in character behavior that disrupted immersion. At times, it felt as though characters were aware of future events-as if they had already watched the film themselves. While some scenes clarified time and place effectively, others lacked narrative coherence and failed to convince me logically.

Story-wise, although the concept was brilliant, it was not used to its full capacity. The plot progression often felt meandering and unsatisfying.

On the technical side, I appreciated Ava's performance, as well as those of her father and a few of the other children (excluding Nima). Ava's expressions were particularly impressive and displayed a strong emotional range, despite some minor technical issues. However, I couldn't connect with the portrayals of the mother, music teacher, aunt, or Nima. My impression of the school principal was mixed-she was sometimes exaggerated, but occasionally quite effective.

The cinematography was arguably the weakest aspect of the film. I'm unsure if the visuals were altered for TIFF screening, but the compositions were lacking. Some shots featured excessive headroom, poor framing during multi-actor scenes, and a noticeable failure to shift focus appropriately. While the focus itself was sharp, it often didn't adapt to what the scene demanded.

One of the most jarring choices was the frequent use of deep blur in key scenes. While I can understand the artistic rationale behind it, its execution was unpleasant and disruptive. These sequences were long, overused, and visually unappealing.

Camera movement was another limitation. It lacked the fluidity needed for the story, especially in scenes with multiple moving actors. The aunt's scene was a clear example of ineffective decoupage and weak blocking. The intended use of focus in mirrors also fell short.

The editing requires major improvement. Long static shots, a slow pacing in many scenes, and repetitive dull moments all contributed to a sense of narrative drag. It's unclear whether these issues stem from limited takes or post-production decisions, but the result was tedious in places.

Costume design was generally solid, though there were moments of cultural inconsistency-particularly the choice of clothing at home. For instance, two women fully dressed and veiled indoors, and a teenage girl (Melody) wearing loose-fitting pants at home, felt unnatural and disconnected from reality.

Despite all these issues, I admire the director's courage in taking on such a project with a small team and many young, relatively inexperienced actors. It's a respectable starting point for a first-time filmmaker, and a valuable learning experience. However, going forward, it's essential that she work closely with experienced consultants and remain open to critique-both of which could help elevate her undeniable potential.