‘Ava’ review: Dir. Sadaf Foroughi (2020)

Set in Tehran and based on the experiences of writer-director Sadaf Foroughi, we follow Ava, a teenage girl played with incredible quiet ferocity by Mahour Jabbari. Ava is a universal and regular teenage girl. She bickers with friends over which boys would date her, she’s embarrassed by her mother dropping her off at school, and so forth. However, Ava’s mother is very strict and worries about her daughter. After Ava spends the day with a boy after saying she would be at a friends house, she finds her life begins to slowly erode as her mother’s interference results in the loss of friendships, rumours being spread, and her future as a musician in jeopardy.

Foroughi creates a tense atmosphere around every aspect of Ava’s life. It’s unsettling, but without much payoff it mostly highlights the frustration of the situations Ava finds herself in. Foroughi sticks close to her protagonist, and although this bolsters the relatability of Ava, it also means all those around her are portrayed as rather thin characters. The father is kind and understanding, the mother is fierce and controlling, and although we are given minute glimpses into their motivations, Foroughi uses long takes and shots that isolate the characters. It feels cold and hard to become involved with.

Although this could all be a way to make us further associate with Ava, more heart towards those around her wouldn’t have gone a miss as Jabbari’s performance is more than enough to enchant the audience. Jabbari has a mature weariness to how she tackles each scene, and you feel as though she has lived this life of Ava. Vahid Aghapoor and Bahar Noohian, as father and mother respectively, also create characters that seem like they exist outside the film. We get a good sense of their relationship through well considered subtleties, but they are there to serve Ava’s story, although their story could have easily complemented hers.

Ava looks at control, oppression, and is refreshingly quaint in most instances. Ava’s act of rebellion isn’t actually dating a guy or getting involved in anything sexual, but is a childish bet she has with a friend. It makes Ava more of a victim of a terrified and judgemental mother, but also means it doesn’t always have a dramatic impact. Ava announces a lot of new and exciting talent, as well as detailing the struggle of youth to break free. Heartfelt indeed, but fails to leave a lasting impression.

Ava is released on digital platforms on 21st August.