At the End of Evin Review: Reel Affirmations 2023

metroweekly.com:

We often take advantage of our queer privilege in ways many spend their entire lives hoping for. In Iran, a place not known for its pro-LGBTQ attitudes, queerness is something you hide, and hope never comes out, but that doesn’t erase it.

So then the question becomes, what would you do to achieve your queer dreams of being who you are in a place that would rather have you killed?At the End of Evin (★★★☆☆), written and directed by Mehdi and Mohammad Torab-Beigi, concedes that sometimes, even the worst deals might be worth it.The film is told entirely from Amen’s (Mehri Kazemi) point-of-view, meaning we never genuinely see their face.

We first encounter Amen on the road with Nilo (Shabnam Dadkhah) on the road to meet Naser (Mahdi Pakdel), a wealthy man willing to help pay for Amen’s transition surgery.However, as things progress, Amen begins to realize that Naser isn’t entirely being truthful about the deal, even as everyone around assures them they are safe, and that this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Amen to get this life-affirming surgery.

The harsh reality becomes choosing between this dream and potentially being imprisoned.The film is seeped in shaky and tense scenes, all pointing toward a greater paranoia that something terrible will happen.