There are countless stories in Iran of young girls who secretly orchestrated their escape, from husbands, fathers, brothers and their own families. Some dreamed of a future abroad but were never allowed to leave by their families, so they lied about staying at a friend’s house and ended up in another country the next day. Others escaped oppression by simply going to the supermarket in their pajamas, just enough not to raise suspicion. That creativity and bravery born from desperation, never stops astonishing me. At its core, Besieged explores the extent to which a society, or even individual male figures, can make someone’s life so unjust that they abandon fairness and morality just to escape at any cost. The mother’s story mirrors the exact feelings of today’s young generation in Iran, those who long to leave but find every path blocked. Trapped between the desire for a better life and the impossibility of reaching it, they remain caught in a constant cycle of frustration and despair. It feels like a trap disguised as homeland. The continuous loop of events in the film reflects this emotional entrapment. The mother struggles helplessly to run away, but the more she struggles, the deeper she sinks.

–  Kiarash Ardeshirpour