Iranian director
Rafi Pitts's searing psycho-social drama
It's Winter opens in wintertime Tehran, when the middle-aged Persian husband and father Mokhtar (
Hashem Abdi) is suddenly laid off. Despondent, Mokhtar temporarily abandons his wife Khatoun (
Mitra Hadjar),
his mother-in-law, and his young daughter, and leaves the country in
search of employment. Months then pass, with his family receiving no
news or communication from him. During his absence, a much younger and
less experienced Iranian, Marhab (
Ali Nicksolat),
turns up in Tehran, in search of employment as an auto mechanic. He
meets Khatoun and - sensing that Mokhtar may be dead and will probably
never return - courts the woman and ultimately marries her.
Circumstances go completely awry, however, when Marhab acts
irresponsibly by getting into an ugly dispute with his employer and is
promptly fired. In a fit of rage, he decides to vandalize an automobile
plant that refused to hire him. Finally, in desperation, Marhab prepares
to abscond from the town (
sans Khatoun) when Mokhtar unexpectedly turns up once again - and permanently changes Marhab's course.
