Circumstance

Fresh: Seething passions boil over, and the results are messy. But if excess and unruliness can be counted among the film's flaws, they also represent the very principles it is determined to defend. – A.O. Scott, New York Times, Aug 25, 2011

Fresh: A taboo-busting snapshot of contemporary Tehran - a provocative psychodrama that's part Iranian "Girls Gone Wild," set just before the 2009 elections. – Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, Aug 25, 2011

Fresh: A powerful debut film and a remarkable tale of oppression and liberation, and one that leaps right to the top of the unfortunately brief list of LGBT-themed films set in the Islamic world. – Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com, Aug 28, 2011

Rotten: Circumstance is in many ways an impressive achievement. But its mix of documentary detail and melodramatic plotting ultimately tips toward the latter. – Mark Jenkins, NPR, Aug 25, 2011