“His biggest opponent is himself”: Milad Alami on Opponent

Milad Alami’s Opponent is a slow-burn drama following an Iranian former Olympic wrestler (Payman Maadi), forced to flee with his wife and daughter wife Maryam (Marall Nasiri) and their daughters Asal (Nicole Mehrbod) and Sahar (Diana Farzami) to Northern Sweden, purportedly because a teammate told the authorities he had been speaking out against the government. Stuck in limbo, the family are shunted from room to room in cramped conditions while they await a decision if they can remain in the country. In an attempt to improve their chances with their asylum application, Iman returns to wrestling, but this move prompts an unravelling of secrets held about his repressed sexuality and true reasons for fleeing his home country, where being gay carries the death penalty.

Led by an electrifying central performance from Maadi (A Separation, Camp X-Ray), the socially charged feature bristles with tension, with restraint and silence momentarily interrupted with flashes of violence, passion and freedom of expression, the setting of the wrestling ring becoming a metaphor for Iman’s internal struggles with his identity. The backdrop of the instability of being an asylum-seeker amid the harsh frozen landscapes of Sweden, and the palpable craving for a sense of dignity and place in the world, only add to this tension, forming a gripping exploration of masculinity, sexuality and identity through the lens of being a refugee.

After making its mark in festivals from Berlinale and beyond, the film now lands in UK cinemas. The Upcoming chatted with Alami ahead of its release about how the story was inspired by his own memories of moving to Sweden from Iran, his desire to work with Iranian actor Maadi, the film’s themes of masculinity and the quest for inner freedom capture, and how wrestling serves as a metaphor for the protagonist’s internal struggles. We discussed the challenges of filming during COVID-19 especially wrestling scenes, and the use of real refugees as extras, adding authenticity. Alami also shared how he is currently writing two features with female leads, exploring character-driven narratives.

 

Sarah Bradbury

Opponent is released in select cinemas on 12^th April 2024.

Watch the trailer for Opponent here: