Press
Ebert & Roeper
“TWO THUMBS UP!”
Ebert & Roeper, Chicago Sun–Times
“An extraordinary film…I left the theater admiring the movie not only for its ideas (it urges us to see people, not labels), but also by its artistry: In a time when most movie teenagers are bubbleheaded pawns in sex comedies, here is a teenager with brains and courage, who doesn’t simply rebel against her parents but wants to understand them, and who doesn’t collapse into weeping victimhood but depends on her mind and values. ‘Maryam’ is powerful, important and very moving.”
Elvis Mitchell, New York Times
“Serry has put together a talented cast, principally Mariam Parris…Ms. Parris, a quicksilver young talent who projects common sense, is a real find. And Mr. [Shaun] Toub is just as good.”
Kevin Thomas, LA Times
“An assured feature writing and directing debut…what shines is the Armin’s strong, sustaining sense of family, exemplified by Mary’s lovely and wise mother [played by Shohreh] Aghdashloo…Parris, Ackert and Toub give complex, sharply defined portrayals.”
Jonathan Curiel, San Francisco Chronicle
“Enthralling and evocative…Serry is a young director with a filmmaking voice that is original and timely.”
Loren King, Boston Globe
“‘Maryam’ is a searing reminder of the relevance of recent history and of the timeless power of fiction to humanize people and crystallize sweeping events into personal drama.”
Tom Maurstad, Dallas Morning News
“Mr. Serry weaves all of this together in a way that is moving and powerful without ever edging over into vitriol or rhetoric.”
Leslie Camhi, Village Voice
“Sensitive and moving…Serry perfectly captures the peculiar climate, creating uncanny echoes with today’s situation.…Shaun Toub and Shohreh Aghdashloo are extremely convincing as Maryam’s parents…Parris and Ackert strike its deepest notes in exploring Ali and Maryam’s growing relationship.”
Bruce Diones, The New Yorker
“Played beautifully by Mariam Parris…the writer-director keeps the story buoyant…and he ultimately succeeds in gracefully depicting a troubled time.”
Andrew O’Hehir, Salon.com
“A delightful debut film…marvelous…it’s the work of an artist, one whose view of America, history and the awkwardness of human life is generous and deep.”
Lael Lowenstein, Variety
“A lovely, intricate coming-of-age portrait set in a cross-cultural context, “Maryam” reps a promising debut from Ramin Serry...Parris, as the titular protagonist, brings great maturity to her part, and Shohreh Aghdashloo, as the mother who is wiser than she lets on, gives a thoughtfully nuanced performance; their intimate mother-daughter scenes are handled beautifully. Helmer Serry, an Iranian-American who mined his past to write about this period, gives the proceedings a deeply authentic feel.”