As the United States wanes its military presence in the Middle East (well, we hope, at least), more and more interest is being directed towards the region, resulting in an influx of Middle Eastern filmmakers stepping into the spotlight.

Such is the case with the 2012 movie finally making its way to U.S. screens, “The
Patience Stone.”

The movie features Golshifteh Farahani simply billed as “the woman” who is living with her two daughters and comatose (much older, might I add) husband.

Farahani’s journey to this man was a tragic one as she married him at just 17 years old.

It appears as if Farahani’s husband isn’t getting better.

It is through this newfound sense of freedom that Farahani lets her secrets flow free as she divulges secrets pertaining to her daughters’ actual fathers and her utter contempt of her previous life when her husband was actually conscious.

Farahani’s rebellion peaks when she meets a soldier and sleeps with him.

In a sense, Farahani’s husband is the movie’s stone as his comatose disposition acts as a sponge for his wife to vent.

Farahani delivers a powerful, goosebump inducing performance worthy of praise.

The actress is seemingly able to take the frustration of an entire culture’s gender base and project them through one singular, focused narrative.

Thierry Arbogast, “The Patience Stone’s” cinematographer delivers top-notch work as he follow Farahani’s character throughout the streets of an unnamed Middle Eastern country (more than likely, Afghanistan) as her tranquil walk for something as simple as groceries turns into a quest for survival as the streets grow more dangerous.

Even though most of the film takes place in one room (the room in which Farahani is spilling her secrets) Arbogast is able to toy with light, shadows and fabric to create visual interest within the same four walls.

Of course, Atiq Rahimi — the film’s director — deserves much of the credit as well considering the risk he took when adapting such a single-minded story.

“The Patience Stone” was first a popular book of the same name.

Even though the film is acted in Farsi, the picture’s subtitles are in English and the story is never too hard to follow.

Ultimately, to its core, “The Patience Stone” is a hauntingly human story that is timely and artfully on point with career-making performances packed from scene to scene.

“The Patience Stone” opens at the Angelika Dallas today.