Synopsis:

“Grand Me,” a feature film by Iranian director Atiye Zare Arandi, tells the story of Melina, a little girl who lives with her grandparents after her parents’ divorce: neither is willing to sacrifice their new relationship for the sake of their daughter. When Melina reaches the age of nine, she is of legal age to take her custody case to court as she wishes to move in with her mother, a desire thwarted by both her father and her new stepfather. The film follows the growing tensions and daily struggles of Melina, who is forced to confront both her father’s physical abuse and her mother’s emotional absence, facing challenges that far exceed those appropriate for her age. In the end, Melina decides not to take her case to court, knowing that this would not solve the problems she is experiencing. Melina, now direct and outspoken, confronts her mother in an intimate and harsh confrontation, symbolically putting her “on trial.”
“Grand Me” offers a profound reflection on a child’s resilience in an adult world and the complexity of family dynamics, focusing on issues of child welfare and parental responsibility.