Rosewater (film)

Rosewater

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2014
Founder	Jon Stewart
Products	Political drama film

Rosewater is a 2014 political drama from the United States, both written and directed by Jon Stewart, who also produced the film. It is adapted from the memoir Then They Came for Me authored by Maziar Bahari and Aimee Molloy. The narrative centers on Bahari’s 2009 incarceration in Iran, which was triggered by an interview he gave on The Daily Show, an event Iranian authorities cited as proof of espionage. Due to its provocative subject matter, Iran’s state television accused Stewart of receiving Zionist funding and collaborating with the CIA. The movie debuted in theaters on November 14, 2014, garnering generally favorable critical responses.

Plot

Set in 2009, the story follows Maziar Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian journalist based in London, who is arrested in Iran after covering the violent suppression of protesters following the country’s presidential election and participating in a satirical interview with Jason Jones on The Daily Show. While his fiancée, who is expecting their child, waits anxiously, Bahari endures 118 days of harsh interrogation at Evin Prison. Throughout his captivity, he is often blindfolded, and his interrogator is identified solely by the distinctive fragrance of rosewater.

Cast

• Gael García Bernal portrays Maziar Bahari, the journalist subjected to interrogation and torture over a period of 118 days in Iran
• Claire Foy appears as Paola Gourley
• Kim Bodnia takes on the role of "Rosewater"
• Haluk Bilginer plays Baba Akbar
• Shohreh Aghdashloo acts as Moloojoon
• Dimitri Leonidas features as Davood
• Golshifteh Farahani portrays Maryam
• Arian Moayed as Hamid
• Amir El-Masry as Alireza
• Jason Jones appears as himself

Production

Filming for Rosewater occurred primarily in Jordan from June through mid-August 2013, with some scenes shot in Iran. The production operated with a budget estimated between $5 million and $10 million.

Release

It was announced on July 31, 2014, that the film’s release date would be November 7, 2014. The world premiere took place at the Telluride Film Festival on August 29, 2014. Subsequently, it was showcased in the Special Presentations category at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival during September.

Box office

The film accumulated a total of $3.2 million at the box office. In its initial weekend, it generated $1.2 million across 371 theaters, securing the 13th position in box office rankings.

Critical reception

Rosewater was met with predominantly positive critiques. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a rating of 76% based on 155 reviews and an average score of 6.7 out of 10. The critical consensus notes: "Timely, well-acted, and sincerely presented, Rosewater stands as a strong debut for director Jon Stewart." On Metacritic, it achieved a score of 67 out of 100 from 35 reviewers, indicating "generally favorable reviews."