Two people on opposites sides of the world are faced with the toughest of choices. In Iran, a mother considers selling her organs to afford life-saving treatment for her daughter, while in the US, a doctor faces an ethical dilemma of his own as he desperately searches for a way to save his child.
When I first saw this incredible short film I did not know that a) it is legal to buy and sell human organs in Iran, and b) that it is the only country on Earth to allow such practice. But this controversial subject - to say the least - is not necessarily the thing that makes Vital so important and hard-hitting. It's the people caught up in a rather distressing situation, and the connections they share. They remind us of everything that we, as a race of beings, have in common. Everything that is built into our DNA. Things that are universal. That cross oceans and borders. That transcend race, religion, and regime. It is all there to see in one 14 minute film. And at a time when international relations are somewhat fractured, what could be more important than a little reminder that we're not so different?
To do that, Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Amir Zagara almost literally delivers a gut-punch that will send your mind spinning - even for those of us who aren't parents - in the form of a story about two sick children and the parents who are left feeling powerless. What would you do to help your sick child? How far would you go? And what would you do if you can't save them? Those are the questions plaguing Fereshteh (Mahtab Servati) and Dariush (Reza Akhlaghirad). Two parents who, despite being worlds apart, are confronted with horrifyingly similar dilemmas. Not to mention some equally limited and unenviable options. All of which feels inescapably real, thanks to some truly magnificent performances - especially from Servati and Akhlaghirad, who make you feel the weight of the awful decisions their characters are forced to make.
Zagara captures that bleakness perfectly. Offering us a glimpse into the void that has hold of Fereshteh and Dariush. Some clever cinematography highlights how close they are in terms of circumstance, while at the same time hinting at a certain distance between them. And while I would argue Vital is a little fuzzy on some of what you might call the logistical details - for one patient, anyway - the focus is rightly on those that are caught up in such a situation, and bringing their experiences to light in as realistic a way as possible. More importantly, this is a glimpse without judgement. The film doesn't condone or condemn those who feel they have no other choice but to use such a grizzly trade, it simply shows you the desperation. Causing you to question what you would do in such a situation.
Vital presents one of the most horrifying situations a person might face, and compels the audience to consider what they might do in such circumstances. And in so doing, this mind-blowing short film reminds us that we are not so different, no matter how much we like to think we are.
9/10
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