Iranian director Ali Asgari is making a significant return to the Venice Film Festival, this time competing with his latest feature, A Bit of Light. Following the success of his dark satire, Divine Comedy, which was showcased in Venice Horizons last year, Asgari’s new project promises to delve into profound themes of despair and connection.
First Clip from the Film Released
As reported by Variety, the first clip of A Bit of Light has been unveiled. The film is being represented internationally by France’s Salaud Morisset, with its release in Italy handled by Teodora Film Distribuzione.
Plot Overview
Set against the backdrop of contemporary Iran, A Bit of Light follows the harrowing journey of a disillusioned doctor whose medical practice has been abruptly shut down following his arrest. As he grapples with his loss of hope, he decides to spend one final day with his family, preparing them for the inevitable. The synopsis highlights that “their compassion, care and companionship slowly reconcile him with reality.”
Engaging Parallels and Dialogue
The clip features the protagonist in conversation with someone who is helping him remove plants from a room, all while helicopter blades thump ominously overhead. The helper’s comments reflect the film’s tension: “This Trump guy is threatening to bomb here every day,” he says, before expressing concern about the large window panes that could shatter and potentially harm the doctor.
Notable Cast and Asgari’s Film Journey
The film stars Misagh Zareh, Sadaf Asgari, Forouzan Jamshidnejad, Ramtin Daghigh, and Mina Rahimzadeh. A Bit of Light marks Asgari’s sixth feature, which includes Disappearance (2017) that also premiered in Venice, Until Tomorrow (2022) featured at Berlinale, and Terrestrial Verses (2023) selected for Cannes’ Un Certain Regard. This project marks a significant milestone as it is his first work chosen for Venice’s main competition.
Director’s Insights
Reflecting on the film’s deeper themes, Asgari stated, “I have often wondered: when suffering becomes an inseparable part of our daily existence, what gives life its value? Can we ever separate our own existence from the lives of others?” He emphasized the resilience of the Iranian people amidst economic hardship, political uncertainty, and the constant threat of war. “I have witnessed how people continue to endure, to care for one another, and to create small moments of hope,” he shared.
Exploring Connection and Resilience
Asgari elaborated on the film’s exploration of the fragile space between despair and the connections that keep us anchored to life. “Through ordinary gestures and seemingly insignificant encounters, it reveals how meaning can emerge from the smallest moments: an act of kindness, a familiar presence, a shared silence, or the gentle touch of a mother’s hand,” he stated. He views A Bit of Light not merely as a narrative of sorrow, but rather as a tale of the invisible bonds that render life precious.
Asgari concluded by noting that while suffering may be ever-present, the value of life lies in our capacity to love, to be loved, and in the lasting impact we have on others. “Perhaps the value of life has never depended on the absence of pain. Perhaps it lies in our ability to love,” he noted.
Production and Festival Information
A Bit of Light is produced by Milad Khosravi’s Seven Springs Pictures, in collaboration with other production houses including Sunny Independent Pictures, Zoe Films, Good Measure Productions, Haurvatat Film, MeMo Films, Salt for Sugar Films, and Avantika Singh Desbouvries. The Venice Film Festival will take place from September 2-12. Watch the clip below.
