Watch Women Without Men

Women Without Men is a 2009 Iranian-German movie directed by Shirin Neshat, an Iranian visual artist and photographer. It's a political and social drama based on a novel by Shahrnush Parsipur. The movie depicts the lives of four women who escape to a mystical orchard in Tehran to find solace and freedom from the oppressive patriarchal system.

The story is set in 1953 Iran during the American-British coup d'état against Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh's government. The political situation in Iran is tense, and the people are restless under the dictatorship of Reza Shah. Women are treated as second-class citizens, and their lives are controlled by men. The four protagonists of the movie, Munis, Faezeh, Zarin, and Fakhri, belong to different social and economic backgrounds, but they share a common desire to escape from the suffocating environment of their daily lives.

Munis, played by Shabnam Toloui, is a middle-aged intellectual who rebels against her family's traditional and conservative values. She is forced to leave her job as a teacher after refusing to accept degrading treatment from her male colleagues. She finds refuge in a brothel where she meets Faezeh, played by Pegah Ferydoni, a young and beautiful woman who has been abused by her husband and forced into prostitution. Munis and Faezeh become close friends and decide to run away to a garden where they hope to find peace and freedom.

Zarin, played by Orsi Toth, is a wealthy and privileged woman who tries to escape from her oppressive family and an arranged marriage with an older man. She meets Munis and Faezeh, and together they enter the mystical orchard where they meet the fourth protagonist, Fakhri, played by Arita Shahrzad. Fakhri is a politically active woman who has been imprisoned and tortured by the government. She has lost her sanity but remains a symbol of resistance and hope for the other women.

The orchard is depicted as a magical place where nature and spirituality intersect. The women are guided by a mysterious gardener who seems to have supernatural powers. They find shelter in a beautiful house where they live together as a community, supporting each other and sharing their stories and dreams. The orchard also provides a space for introspection and transformation. Munis discovers her sexuality and falls in love with a man who visits the garden. Faezeh starts a new life without exploiting her body, and Zarin falls in love with a political activist who seeks refuge in the garden.

The movie explores several themes such as politics, gender, sexuality, freedom, and spirituality. It criticizes the oppressive regime of Reza Shah and the American-British intervention in Iran's politics. It also reflects on the role of women in Iranian society and their struggle for autonomy and equality. The movie portrays women as complex and diverse individuals who have the agency to choose their own path and to shape their own destiny. It also celebrates the power of sisterhood and solidarity as a means of resistance against patriarchal oppression.

The visual style of the movie is stunning and poetic. The director, Shirin Neshat, is known for her photography and video installations, and her artistic background is evident in the movie's aesthetic choices. The orchard is filmed with a dreamlike quality, and the colors and textures of the landscape and the characters are exquisitely captured. The use of music and sound is also remarkable, adding a haunting and emotional layer to the movie's atmosphere.

In conclusion, Women Without Men is an outstanding movie that combines politics, social issues, and art with grace and brilliance. It tells a story of four women who seek refuge in a mystical orchard to find freedom and solace from a patriarchal and authoritarian society. The movie is a tribute to the resilience and courage of women and their capacity to create beauty and love in the midst of chaos and despair.

Women Without Men is a 2022 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 28 minutes.