Writer/Director: Amir Zargara
Stars: Sia Alipour, Mehdi Bajestani, Moeid Zalaghi
The film is inspired by the true story of Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari wrongfully convicted and executed for his involvement in the 2018 protests. The film has qualified to be considered for nomination at the 2025 OSCARS.
Arash Jafari is a professional wrestler with dreams of representing his country in international competitions and bringing home gold medals. However, Iran is in a state of turmoil with protests raging in the streets, and brutally put down by the government. Spurred on by a personal tragedy Arash must decide between using his fame to stand up to tyranny or put his head down and remain silent.
If`this story and influence sound familiar it’s because the need to speak up is a well known tale. It is a tremendous act of courage and can have dire consequences thus posing a troubling dilemma: case in point Nebojša Slijepčević’s powerful Palme D’Or winner ‘The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent’ set during the Bosnian conflict – check out our review, and interview with the film’s writer and director. This too dealt with a choice – to stay safe and silent or stand up for injustice, knowing the heavy price. Whereas Slijepčević’s story focuses on the events, ‘A Good Day Will Come’, Iranian writer and director Amir Zargara explores Arash’s personal motivations. In doing so he explores the political scene and a discussion about this potentially deadly dilemma before its inevitably tragic outcome.
A Trick in Storytelling
Zargara employs a simple story telling method of chronologically laying out the events leading to Arash’s decision. From watching the protests on his phone to the reporter’s question at his pre-match press conference. Acting as a guard against the dangers of Arash’s conscience is his coach. What’s startling to note are his objections have nothing to do with loyalty to the regime. Rather they seem protective and echoing a familiar jaded cynicism; “I’ve lived under two different regimes. They’re all the same” he tells Arash. Zargara’s effective trick as a storyteller is to keep you guessing as to Arash’s intentions until it’s revealed. It’s effective because the outcome is inevitable yet Arash’s display of protest happens to have a surprise element.

This impactful technique continues throughout the film leading to the anticipated standoff; the protesters versus an armed police force. Here Zargara keeps the suspense levels at peak, putting Arash in an unenviable position. In an instant Zargara switches Arash from his role as another protester to peace instigator intervening to prevent the police from opening fire on the crowd. Zargara highlights this tension with the contrast of the police’s poised firearms with the protesters’s hands up in a peace gesture; “We’re not your enemies’ Arash declares keeping his hands up as Zargara and cinematographer Jelan Maxwell switch close ups of the protesters hands to police armaments both poised in anticipation. There’s a powerful juxtaposition here of pacifism vs violence, the people vs the state. It’s a standoff that leaves a lasting impression of the story’s key moment and a testament of Zargara’s ability to immerse us in the events.
Tragedy vs Hope
As the film nears its end Zargara suddenly changes the path of this journey of dissent. The change is in the story’s tone from one of resistance to a tragic inevitability. Zargara makes a further switch from show and tell to letting what we hear tell its own story. We know from the sounds of Arash’s pleas and the impact of his beating at the hands of torturers. A sombre tone ensues as more is said about the dichotomy of individual courage vs state control – another powerful juxtaposition. It leaves you hoping and wanting a different outcome that never comes. Yet there is still much to draw from the ending and here Zargara leaves the viewer to draw their own interpretation with a hint drawn from the film’s title.
Celebrating Courage
‘A Good Day Will Come’ is a powerful tale celebrating the courage it takes to stand up for what is right. Amir Zargara does this effectively through an emotively packed script delving into the triggers that tip Arash’s decision to dissent. Aided by moving performances from the cases the film is a reminder of the high price paid for standing up to the state. Although this is a fictionalised story, it draws on its real life inspirations to celebrate the power of courage whilst delivering a message of hope.