Iran

The Salesman mines its themes in Iranian literature and American drama, but something about its portrayal of the delicate anxiety of a relationship in the face of violence is uniquely its own. The film’s leading actors—Shahab Hosseini (Emad) and Taraneh Alidoosti (Rana)—methodically unveil their characters’ strengths and weaknesses like flowers just at the point of wilting. Director Asghar Farhadi painstakingly crafts the film so that every piece fits perfectly, from the inside out.