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When the Moon Was Full

Name: When the Moon Was Full
Director: Narges Abyar
Released: 2019
Duration: 131 min

Representation Score

7.5/10

Good

2019

Director

Narges Abyar

Runtime

131 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Narges Abyar’s film is a sophisticated sociological study that examines the tension between individual ability to act and entrenched traditionalism. It centers on the intersection of disability, regional identity, and the critique of social hierarchies. The film's strength lies in its ethnographic depth and its refusal to treat disability as a mere source of inspiration. Instead, it treats physical differences as a lens through which to view systemic social stigma. However, the film lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities. While it offers a powerful critique of patriarchal and superstitious structures, the narrative remains tethered to a traditionalist framework that excludes non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth perspectives.

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Category Breakdown

Does When the Moon Was Full have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any explicit LGBTQ+ characters or identities. Its narrative focuses on the survival and social navigation of its protagonists within a traditional framework.

How does When the Moon Was Full portray gender?

Fair

The film highlights the struggles of women and children under rigid social expectations. It portrays the female experience as a fight for autonomy against traditional gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is When the Moon Was Full?

Good

The story provides depth by showcasing the Sistan and Baluchestan province. It avoids monolithic depictions, offering a complex look at regional identity and the realities of border life.

How does When the Moon Was Full represent religion and culture?

Good

The film critiques traditional institutions and folk superstitions as oppressive forces. It portrays local authority and traditional beliefs as sources of social harm and isolation for underrepresented individuals.

Does When the Moon Was Full include disability representation?

Good

The film depicts physical disability as a central social reality rather than a plot device. It explores how disability intersects with superstition to create layers of isolation.

Present on Screen

Provides a nuanced and complex portrayal of the Sistan and Baluchestan province.
Avoids clichés by treating disability as a central, lived social reality.
Effectively critiques how folk superstitions and traditional hierarchies marginalize individuals.

Limited or Absent

Lacks any explicit representation of LGBTQ+ characters or identities.
The narrative focus remains heavily centered within a traditionalist social framework.

Official Synopsis

In the market Abdolhamid meets Faezeh and falls in love with her. They get marry and begin their life. But after a while Faezeh becomes aware of Abdolhamid's family in Sistan and Baluchestan province and that they are doing illegals. Faezeh decides to escape with her husband to Pakistan but there they meet Abdolhamid's brother Abdolmalek Rigi who is a terrorist.

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