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With its highly rich cinematic history, Iranian movies continue to influence so many Western directors and getting the attention of audiences. The Badger is one of the great examples of low budget-independent movies with its high tension, engaging, smart, twisty plot and deeply layered character analysis, and a symbolic story-telling style which reflects the problems of a dysfunctional family.
By Nilufer Yenidogan Ozmekik
See the NYC Premiere of feature film The Badger on Sunday September 26 @ 1:00 PM at Cinema Village (22 East 12th Street) as part of New York City’s 10th Annual Winter Film Awards International Film Festival. Tickets now on sale!
The director and screenwriter Kazem Mollaie was inspired by a real event about an 11 year old boy’s abduction. From the beginning till the end, he used symbols as the subtext of the main story line and instead of creating a cat-mouse chase kind of thriller, he focused on character-driven drama about a broken family full of resentments and unresolved issues. His plain, natural direction style helps us to resonate with each character and empathize with their inner turmoil.
At the opening credits, we learn more about the main character Soodeh’s cookie business with the vivid images of rolling out dough, decorating and the boxing process. As soon as the movie starts, we follow Soodeh’s moves; like a juggler throwing several balls in the air at the same time, she’s focused on preparations of a second marriage ceremony, working on her cookie business and taking care of her son Matiar during the eve of Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha. Plus she must also deal with her house’s termite problems and is advised to try an interesting solution called “The Badger Method”.
As Soodeh deals with her daily problems, we get snippets from Matiar’s life: his dedication to his camera used to record everything around the house, his delicate and intelligent taste in music and movies. Matiar leaves for the school, carrying his camera in his hands as his mother says her goodbye, already focused on her next task.
But a sudden phone call from Soodeh’s employee changes everything: Matiar is missing. He was last seen at his regular lunch place but instead of going back to school, he climbs into a cab and now nobody knows his whereabouts.
After quick visits to school and the café Matiar had his lunch, Soodeh goes back home to check if her son has returned but instead of her son, a courier knocks on her door and delivers her a thumb-drive containing a video of her son bound and gagged in a commercial kitchen’s storeroom. In the background, a muffled voiceover demands 10 Bitcoins (equal to $ 406.478 and 17 billion Iranian rials) by the evening for his return.
Is the entire kidnapping incident an inside job connected with her estranged father? Soodeh must swallow her pride and confront the people she turned her back upon to gather the money to save her son. Time is ticking and she has only few hours to find the entire amount. Will she find the money to save her son? Will the kidnappers release her son as like they promised?
Symbolism is the basis of the movie’s screenplay: even the choice of Soodeh’s father’s mushroom business is part of director’s symbolic network. Director Kazem Mollaie says “Mushrooms are graphically and color-like very similar to existing termites, and biologically, they grow just like termites and are similar. Matiar and his grandfather are both albino and they seem to be in the same symbolic network too. For Matiar, just like termites, the family is very important and inadvertently harms those around him.”
Author Alaya Dawn Johnson summarizes the main predicament of Soodeh, “Ignoring your subconscious is like neglecting the termite infestation in your basement. Sooner or later, the consequences of neglect will far outweigh the momentary unpleasantness of clearing the nests.”
The Badger title of the movie refers to the unconventional method the exterminator suggested; use a trained mammal for rooting out infestation. A mother racing against the time to bring her child back to his home must facing her resentments, her past, her fears, all of her mistakes. She must root out the dirt from her past to grab a peaceful future with her family.
The final twist of the story is unexpected and well- executed, reminding you of great cinematic moments you’ve experienced when you watched shocking finals of Chinatown or Fight Club. These ” didn’t see it coming”, jaw-dropping moments always confuse your mind and make you question your own realities – great results of an exciting and talented script.
The Badger is well written, engrossing and remarkable – a great example of independent film and a unique combination of family drama and psychological-tense-slow burn thriller.
Nilufer Yenidogan Ozmekik
Nilufer Yenidogan Ozmekik is screen writer, executive producer and founder of her new production company “N&Dreamakers Pictures”. After her graduation from Istanbul University/Faculty of International Relations, Nilufer finished her MA at Bilgi University Faculty of Communication & Media Studies, Cinema-Television, she started her writing career as screen writer for several highly rated Turkish TV series. For the past 7 years, she’s been living in the USA and creating projects for both American and Turkish movie and TV industry. In the last three years, her two movies “Fairytale of New York” and “Sleep of Love” have been released at selected US and European theatres. She is great fan of thrillers, fantasy books and Hitchcock, Argento, Fincher, Del Toro, Verbinski movies. She is also thankful to Satan for the inspiration when she’s writing her thrillers.
About Winter Film Awards
New York City’s 10th Annual Winter Film Awards International Film Festival runs September 23-October 2 2021. Check out a jam-packed lineup of 91 fantastic films in all genres from 28 countries, including shorts, features, Animation, Drama, Comedy, Thriller, Horror, Documentary and Music Video. Hollywood might ignore women and people of color, but Winter Film Awards celebrates everyone!
Winter Film Awards is an all volunteer, minority- and women-owned registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2011 in New York City by a group of filmmakers and enthusiasts. The program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the NY State Council on the Arts.
