According to Ravi Honar news website, a critique and review session for the feature film “Marjan”, directed and produced by Milad Beni-Tabā, was held on the evening of Sunday, July 27, 2025, at Charsoo Cinema Complex by the Art & Experience Cinematic Group.

In this session, cinema critic Naser Sohrabi, referring to the social theme of the film, said: “Marjan reminds me of the incident reports from past years, where teenage girls became victims of violence for various reasons.” He added: “The director has tried to portray the Iranian woman in a violent situation, and this film has a bold screenplay that confronts the audience with a new face of violence against women.”

Sohrabi, referencing similar works such as “Narges” and “The Blue-Veiled Woman” by Rakhshan Banietemad, stated: “The image of violence in today’s society differs from the past and is no longer limited to physical forms alone.” He continued: “Today’s social cinema needs appeal, and a film must engage the audience enough that they lose track of time. One of the strengths of Marjan is the director’s intelligent performance direction and the distinct casting choices, especially that of Nasim Adabi.”

Later in the session, Milad Beni-Tabā, the film’s director and producer, spoke about his motivation for making Marjan: “This project began after hearing the news of Romina Ashrafi’s murder, which deeply affected me and later became a serious concern.” He emphasized: “Marjan is not only the story of violence against one woman; in its narrative, another woman is also exposed to domestic violence. My primary audience is fathers who want to make decisions on behalf of their children.”

He added that his film has no hero and is based on a story-driven structure, stating: “I knew from the beginning that the production costs might not be recovered, but the impact of the work was my priority. If even five people stop committing violence against women after watching the film, I have achieved my goal.”

In another part of the session, Manoochehr Sanei, the film’s editor, discussed the crucial role of editing in shaping the work’s dramatic structure: “Editing is not limited to rhythm; it also plays a major role in storytelling.” Referring to the collaboration of the late Amir Samavati in revising parts of the film’s editing, he added: “The censorship imposed on the film was minimal, and the narrative was not harmed.”

Sanei concluded: “Making a film about violence against women requires a fresh perspective, as we are unfortunately witnessing an increase in domestic murders today—cases that many still find hard to believe.”

The film Marjan, directed by Seyed Milad Beni-Tabā, is a social drama with an internal and turbulent tone that portrays the hidden violence against women within a personal and layered framework. One of the most remarkable aspects of the film is its editing, where Manoochehr Sanei, the editor, with a thoughtful and meticulous approach, succeeds in creating a psychologically driven atmosphere and rhythm fully aligned with the mental world of the characters.

In Marjan, editing goes beyond organizing time and maintaining narrative continuity; it becomes an independent visual language—one that, without relying on direct dialogue or external emphasis, gradually draws the audience into the inner experiences of the characters. Through deliberate cuts, the omission of explanatory shots, and carefully controlled temporal shifts, Sanei manages not only to show the characters’ psychological tension but to transfer it.

What makes the editing particularly noteworthy in this film is its ability to preserve emotional tone: whether in moments where time seems to stand still, or in sequences where anxiety accelerates the editing’s rhythm into a rapid heartbeat. Instead of highlighting emotional moments, the editor blends them seamlessly into the narrative—transforming editing from a technical function into a powerful element that shapes the film’s internal atmosphere.

The escape sequence in which Marjan flees from her forced marriage ceremony is the peak of this quality. With a fast-paced rhythm, heavy silences, and the intentional omission of certain explicit moments, Sanei conveys a fear that is more felt than seen. This kind of visual storytelling is especially crucial in depicting the characters’ internal experiences.

The editing of Marjan demonstrates how the psychological space of a character can be recreated quietly and effortlessly through the language of visuals. This editing does not stand in opposition to the film’s other elements; rather, it moves in harmony with the overall direction of the film and deepens its tone.

At a time when social cinema sometimes becomes trapped in excessive description or dialogue-driven storytelling, Marjan offers a different experience: an internal and bitter narrative whose strength relies heavily on an editing approach that, instead of merely telling the story, creates a feeling.