You are here:

3 Faces

Name: 3 Faces
Director: Jafar Panahi
Released: 2018
Duration: 100 min

Representation Score

6.7/10

Good

2018

Director

Jafar Panahi

Runtime

100 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

3 Faces explores the tension between personal ambitions and traditional community norms using a docu-fiction format. It examines how local social structures affect personal growth and gender roles in art. The film stands out for its critique of patriarchal hierarchies and its authentic depiction of Iranian village life. It offers a nuanced look at how tradition can be restrictive. While the film excels in representing female empowerment and cultural authenticity, it remains neutral on LGBTQ+ representation and lacks characters with disabilities.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does 3 Faces have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film doesn't explicitly show queer identities or non-cisgender expressions. However, it focuses on themes that challenge restrictive social norms, suggesting a sensitivity to those who live outside conventional boundaries.

How does 3 Faces portray gender?

Good

The story centers around a woman's fight for control and empowerment against patriarchal constraints. By portraying acting as a means of empowerment, the film challenges traditional views of female passivity.

How racially and ethnically diverse is 3 Faces?

Good

The narrative immerses viewers deeply in an Iranian village setting. It avoids Western clichés by focusing on a specific, localized cultural environment and non-Western social structures.

How does 3 Faces represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film criticizes rigid traditional institutions by highlighting how the desire to preserve old customs can stifle individual potential. It emphasizes personal freedom over institutional conformity.

Does 3 Faces include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities in the narrative.

Present on Screen

Strong focus on female empowerment and challenging patriarchal norms.
Authentic, non-Western cultural immersion that avoids typical Western stereotypes.
Nuanced critique of how traditionalist social structures limit individual freedom.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit representation for LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisgender characters.
No visible inclusion of characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Filmmaker Jafar Panahi and actor Behnaz Jafari travel to a tiny village after receiving a plea for help from a girl whose family has forbidden her from studying acting. Amusing encounters abound, but they soon discover that the local hospitality is rivaled by the desire to protect old traditions.

How are these scores produced? →