Writer-director Asghar Farhadi’s follow-up to the Oscar-Winning “A Separation” is an intensely gripping emotional drama with a superb script and a trio of terrific central performances from

Berenice Bejo , Tahar Rahim and Ali Mossaffa. Of the three main adult characters in “The Past,” one is Iranian, one French and one Arab. The story opens as Ahamed returns to Paris from Teharan at the request of his wife Marie to be present for the long-delayed and much disputed divorce proceedings. He is not legally required to be there, but Marie wants closure to bid a civilized, grown-up farewell to their failed marriage, and also for him say a considerate goodbye to her three children from relationship that preceded theirs who were always fond of him. The film another brilliantly mounted drama by director Farhadi, concerning fracturing families, hidden motives and the difficulties of attaining stability in a rapidly changing world. (125 minutes)