Set against the beautiful backdrop of a remote and traditional Kurdish village, Sina Mouhammed’s gently powerful film tells the story of an ageing couple struggling to reignite their love as their lives take an unexpected turn and sends them off on an emotional journey that at its heart reflects on the need for connection and understanding. The film – more subtly – also reflects the struggles facing women in a culture where female desires are taboo and women are simply expected to serve others without having their own agency. The film features non-professional actors as a way of authentically portraying the life in a remote Kurdish community – in fact the opening scene is a to-camera moment as lead performers Saleh Bari and Parwin Rajabi say “we have been picked as actors for this movie”, before staring towards the sky as yet another ominous fighter jet flies above them – with director Sina Mouhammed stating:” I believe that working with non-professionals allows them to naturally re-enact their everyday activities. For the leading roles I chose individuals who closely resemble their fictional characters in both appearance and personality.” In addition, the local community of the village actively participated in the film. The elderly couple lead a ploddingly mundane and familiar life, with the husband focussed on work and his increasingly tired-seeming wife attempting to talk to him about other issues as they work in the nearby sunflower fields or repair their tidy but ramshackle home. Their links to the outside world (or at least outside their community) are via his clean motorcycle. It is on that bike, as he takes her to hospital, as his gently heartfelt words “embrace me” helps spark a healing experience for his wife as she holds onto him through their journey, and a sense that this is potentially helping change their relationship. In his director statement Sina Mouhammed added: Transient Happiness sheds light on the importance of the small things, and how neglect can lead to larger issues. It emphasises the significance of acknowledgement and appreciation of women who have been dismissed and ignored.” Mark Adams