At one moment an ugly and sluggish slowness, then suddenly: a rapid explosion and beautiful movement. I had no idea wrestling is so interesting to watch. As a venue for a man's inner battle, guilt, and fight against outside enemies, the wrestling mat is amazing. It's violence and closeness. Strength, dance and frustration. However, the sport is far from the only thing that is poignant in Milad Alami's nervy, fantastic and rich film "The Opponent".

Iman is an Iranian professional wrestler who fled to Sweden with his family after being sought by the police. At first, it's unclear why he has to flee. The family ends up in a refugee camp in Norrbotten. In the waiting vacuum of the asylum process, Iman takes up wrestling again, making new friends and new problems.

The vulnerability and isolation of waiting for the Migration Agency's decision is underlined by the blue-black-and-white landscape. Northernmost Sweden in midwinter. Breathtakingly beautiful and open when it's not dark like in a sack. A wolf roams around nearby and frightened reindeer clamber into the accommodation. Symbols, but only if you want to interpret them that way. Above all, the animals and the surroundings create a tension.

In the long but well-balanced scenes, Milad Alami manages not only to maintain focus on Iman's quiet emotional play, but also to portray Maryam's situation with sympathy and finesse. And the children's. And, in fact, a whole host of others at the refugee camp, without it becoming narrative or anxiously placard-political.

Payman Maadi and Marall Nasiri as Iman and wife Maryam have dug so deep into their characters that they can play with ease and small means. Why Maryam doesn't like wrestling is slowly getting its explanation. Also crushing is the eldest daughter's (Nicole Mehrbod) valiant attempts to like the situation. Björn Elgerd as Iman's new wrestling friend is both calm and naïve.

Cinematographer Sebastian Winterø captures the throbbing eroticism of the ugly training hall with the same beauty as he does with the magnificent nature.

Like wrestling, "The Opponent" is a hard and frustrated hug.