About Elly (2009) 2015

As the sun gracefully sets over the Caspian Sea, a close-knit group of Iranian friends gathers for a three-day retreat orchestrated by Sepideh. Alongside her husband, Amir, their inquisitive daughter, and Shohreh with her family, including their lively son Arash, they converge at a seaside mansion. Sepideh has a specific aim for this gathering: to reunite her friend [Ahmad], who is visiting from Germany, with the young kindergarten teacher, Elly.

Upon their arrival, the group meets the mysterious caretaker of the property, who offers an alternative: a secluded beachfront villa. Ever the orchestrator, Sepideh spins a tale about Elly and Ahmad being a couple on their honeymoon, cleverly manipulating the situation to her advantage.

Initially reluctant, Elly gradually begins to embrace Ahmad’s affections. During a conversation with her mother, she fabricates an elaborate excuse for her trip, claiming it is a work retreat, while assuring her that she will return to Tehran soon. Meanwhile, Sepideh harbors her own secrets, including hiding Elly’s luggage before sneaking off for a personal errand.

Tension mounts when Arash disappears while swimming, and Elly has gone missing as well. Frantic, the group calls for help, igniting a storm of accusations and uncertainty that threatens to tear them apart. Doubts arise: has Elly suffered a tragic fate, or did she slip away unnoticed? The escalating fear and collective guilt create an atmosphere that simmers, revealing deep cracks in their seemingly peaceful getaway.

As the retreat progresses, a veil of deceit starts to lift, exposing Sepideh’s concealment of a vital truth from Elly. It is revealed that Elly was already engaged to Alireza, but her hesitance to commit pushed Sepideh to arrange this trip in hopes of introducing her to Ahmad. Although Elly initially hesitates, the pressure from Sepideh compels her to join the getaway.

Just as they begin to settle in, tensions escalate with the unexpected arrival of Alireza, who confronts Ahmad in a fit of rage. Amidst the chaos, he queries Sepideh about Elly’s acceptance of the trip, forcing her into a moral quandary between loyalty and honesty. As she chooses to uphold the ruse for fear of Alireza’s wrath, a horrific revelation occurs in the water.

In a devastating twist of fate, Alireza discovers Elly’s lifeless body at the mortuary, his heart shattered as he mourns the loss, tears cascading down his cheeks. The peaceful vacation spirals into a nightmare, forever altering the lives of those who believed they were simply gathering for a joyful reunion under the sun.