About Elly (2009) 2015

A group of middle-class Iranians, once classmates from the university’s law faculty, arrives at the picturesque Caspian Sea for a delightful three-day getaway. Among the group are Sepideh, her husband Amir, and their young daughter, alongside Shohreh, her husband Peymān, and their two children, including their son Arash. Also joining them are Nāzy and her husband Manuchehr.

To make the trip even more interesting, Sepideh invites her daughter’s kindergarten teacher, Elly, hoping to introduce her to Ahmad, a divorced friend visiting from Germany. Upon reaching their seaside mansion, they learn from the caretaker that the owners will return the following day, prompting a shift to a secluded beachfront villa where Sepideh concocts a lie—that Elly and Ahmad are married and on their honeymoon.

As the days unfold, Elly, initially reserved, finds herself intrigued by Ahmad, who appears to reciprocate her feelings. In a moment of uncertainty, she contacts her mother, falsely stating that she is enjoying a day with her colleagues at a coastal resort, expressing her intent to return to Tehran the next day as initially planned. She asks her mother to keep her visit a secret from others, revealing the tangled web of lies surrounding her trip.

Determined to keep Elly from leaving, Sepideh hides her luggage before stepping out for an errand. The situation escalates when one of the mothers enlists Elly’s help to supervise the children by the sea. Unexpectedly, Arash is discovered floating in the ocean, while Elly has mysteriously vanished. Though Arash is resuscitated, the fate of Elly remains ominous, leaving the group in disarray as they ponder whether she has drowned or managed to return to Tehran.

As panic sets in, suspicions arise, and the group begins to turn on one another, blaming each other for the troubling circumstances surrounding Elly’s absence. However, deeper secrets complicate matters; it is revealed that Sepideh had been dishonest all along. Elly was engaged to a man named Alireza, which she was hesitant to disclose. Initially, Elly declined Sepideh’s invitation but eventually relented due to pressure.

Alireza’s sudden arrival brings chaos as he confronts Ahmad, questioning Sepideh’s role in Elly’s escape. Despite wanting to clear the air and protect Elly’s dignity, Sepideh bends to the group’s anxious urging and lies, claiming Elly had eagerly accepted the invitation to join the trip.

Tragedy strikes when a body is discovered in the water. Alireza, heartbroken, identifies the corpse as Elly at the mortuary, leading to an emotional unraveling of the already fragile dynamics among the group.