Yellow (2023)

Yellow Review

Yellow is a 2023 short film directed by Elham Ehsas and starring Afsaneh Dehrouyeh. It’s a moving film.

In Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, a woman walks into a chadari store in Kabul to buy her first full-body veil and face an uncertain future. This movie offers a much-needed reminder of the state of Afghanistan today after the Taliban ceased all power a couple of years ago. It’s a simple movie that lacked the necessary darkness and complexity that this type of story demands, but it’s so well made that ultimately it worked.

Elham Ehsas directed the movie so well and he was also pretty good as the owner of the store where the female protagonist buys her first chadari. Afsaneh Dehrouyeh is phenomenal as she effortlessly conveyed the complex emotions that her character is feeling. The intricate dynamic between these two people is beautiful to witness as every facial expression counts here. The highlight was the ending where she made a dancing twirl, a final moment of freedom before her impending modern slavery.

Yellow is a film that isn’t dark enough, but it’s so well made and so touching that it worked. The ending is particularly powerful.

My Rating – 4