Circumstance Directed by: Maryam Keshavarz Starring: Nikohl Boosheri, Sarah Kazemy, Reza Sixo Safai Rating: R Release Date: August 26, 2011

TRAILER SCORE: 9/10

Thoughts by TSR: Bravo. I would like to take this opportunity to tip my hat to this trailer. It’s very rare that this happens to me, but occasionally a trailer can take a film that wasn’t really on my radar and turn it into a film I cannot wait to see. This is certainly the case with this trailer for Maryam Keshavarz’s Circumstance.

Nikohla Boosheri and Sarah Kazemy, who play the two beautiful leads in the film, appear to deliver powerful performances. The first part of the trailer, which mentions the film being a Sundance Audience Award Winner, makes it clear that these two girls don’t fit in with the oppressiveness women are subjected to in Iran. As the music takes a shift to a more emotional piece in the second part, we see them begin to fully embrace their feelings for one another, all the while being looked upon as sinners in the eyes of those around them. There are a few glimpses of it in the trailer, such as when their vehicle is being attacked by the man on the motorcycle, but this appears as if it will be a challenging and at times infuriating film.

While this definitely looks like it could be a tough watch, I really hope audiences don’t shy away from it due to the subject matter (or even just because it is subtitled). From everything I have seen, this is a film that deserves to be given a look, and I will be patiently waiting until I get the chance to see it.

Generally trailers only work to help me loosely gauge what my expectations of a film should be. However, once in a while a trailer can make a film jump way up on my list of most anticipated films. That is exactly what this trailer for Circumstance has done, and I cannot ask for anything more than that.