"Zinat"

The most revealing scene took place at the well. Hamed’s mother made the comment, “this is not a man’s work” referring to drawing water from the well. This statement clearly emphasizes that there are responsibilities for women and men. The two do not work to assist one another, but rather hold one another accountable. In the film, Zinat had broken with this tradition by becoming a doctor, which was a predominantly male occupation. Hamed’s mother was not proud of her for this, but instead held it against her because she could not work and serve her husband. The older generation (parents) were clinging to tradition while the younger generation was challenging existing norms.

Throughout the movie there is dialogue between several women who fear that Zinat may miss the opportunity to marry. One woman stated, “Go after your own life.” while another said, “She must have a husband”. Why the insistence on being married. It seems that women in this society cannot live meaningful lives without men to lead them. The highest achievement in life appears to be marriage.

The ending of the movie was inspirational. Hamed chooses to side with his wife and leaves his mother. This symbolizes Hamed’s break with traditional authority. He now understands his wife’s usefulness to the community. Because he witnessed her save a life, he may now understand the greater value and potential for women in society.

If I were to change the ending of Zinat than I would extend the movie to make the message abundantly clear. I would also film Hamed’s future confrontation with his parents as to provide a strong argument for others that may be in a similar situation. I might also add script to show the year and region where the story takes place. I might also follow the movie with statistics that highlight woman in the workforce or other woman’s rights issues in Iran.