Yalda
A condemned young woman’s last chance for mercy becomes a volatile live television confrontation between grief, guilt, and public spectacle.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- claustrophobic
- melancholic
- serious film night
- festival cinema viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly viewed the film as a tense, socially engaged Iranian drama whose contained television premise effectively probes justice, media, and moral responsibility.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Maryam is brought onto a live television program where Mona must decide whether to forgive her.
The death sentence and forgiveness appeal are mediated through a television show designed for public viewing.
The central action unfolds inside a live TV studio, restricting movement while escalating the choices of Maryam and Mona.
Maryam and Mona must make consequential choices within a system shaped by marriage, accusation, punishment, and male authority.
Films like Yalda, and why
The Salesman
contained social drama centered on a televised public reckoning and moral pressure
A Separation
iranian social realism focused on legal, ethical, and interpersonal conflict
The Verdict
claustrophobic media-centered drama exposing class and institutional power
Movie Details
- Director
- Massoud Bakhshi
- Release Date
- 2020-08-27
- Runtime
- 89 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (51)
Cast
- Sadaf Asgari
- Behnaz Jafari
- Babak Karimi
- Fereshteh Sadr Orafaee
- Forough Ghajebeglou
- Zakieh Behbahani
- Fereshteh Hosseini
- Ramona Shah
- Faghiheh Soltani
- Arman Darvish
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Yalda about?
- A condemned young woman’s last chance for mercy becomes a volatile live television confrontation between grief, guilt, and public spectacle.
- What is Yalda like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Yalda as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Yalda violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Yalda as mild.
- What did critics think of Yalda?
- Critics broadly viewed the film as a tense, socially engaged Iranian drama whose contained television premise effectively probes justice, media, and moral responsibility.
- Which films are like Yalda?
- Films with a similar feel include The Salesman, A Separation, and The Verdict.
- How long is Yalda?
- Yalda runs 89 minutes.
- Where can I watch Yalda?
- In United States, Yalda is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
