|
In Iran, capital punishment is carried out according to Islamic law, which gives the family of the victim ownership of the offender's life. Day Break, based on a compilation of true stories and shot inside Teheran's century-old prison, revolves around the imminent execution of Mansour, a man found guilty of murder. When the family of the victim repeatedly fails to show up on the appointed day, Mansour's execution is postponed again and again. Stuck inside the purgatory of his own mind, he waits as time passes on without him, caught between life and death, retribution and forgiveness. (Film Movement) "Mansour is awakened at daybreak for a medical exam (no sick person can be executed), and he is scheduled to face the victim's family for the third time; they did not show up the previous two times. Mansour and another death row inmate enter the execution room. Only one bench is filled̶Mansour's final judges have yet to make their appearance, but he is assured that the family is on the way. That gives us all a chance to see Islamic justice at work. Confronted by an embittered family member who appears set on retribution, the condemned murderer sobs and begs for his life. The judge also implores the family to consider granting mercy to no avail; the prisoner continues to pitifully plea for his life. It's almost a relief for the man to be ordered to step up for his hanging, but at the very last instant a bargain is struck̶his life in exchange for his house and property to be used for an orphanage. After witnessing mostly negative media coverage about Islamic justice, it's quite refreshing to see a different view̶a humanistic way of allowing the victims to act as the final judge. Meanwhile, Mansour learns that his execution has once again been postponed. A phone call from the family informs that there was a death in the family, so they must wait the traditionally prescribed 40 days before attending to Mansour's pending execution. While this news is usually cause for celebration, Mansour sees this as worse than death. The continual state of purgatory has been working on his mind, much like Dostoevsky's psychological study in Crime and Punishment." (John Nesbit)
|
