Snow

Running time: 90 mins

Keeping up the appearances just for a day more. Shakespearean scope of conflict and passion abound in this bold, gripping, and mesmerizing chamber drama from Iran, attesting that Iranian film is one of the world's foremost national cinemas. It is a crucial day in the home of the once - affluent and respected, but now penniless, Vaziri family: they have to ward off debt collectors, delay foreclosure on their stately house, keep the lid tight on scandalous secrets, and hold on to the reputable image for long enough to honorably receive the long-awaited, moneyed suitor of their only daughter. Set over the course of a single day, the film is a remarkable account of crumbling veneers and building tensions. Emotions run high; rarely in cinema do we see such finely attuned performances from an all-around stellar cast and a story that holds a tight grip until the very last moment. - Liva Petersone