The film premiered on 9 February 2011 at the 29th Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran. Six days later it played in Competition at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival. Farhadi had previously competed at the festival's 2009 edition with "About Elly", for which he had received the Silver Bear for Best Director. "A Separation" was distributed in Iran through Filmiran. Distribution rights for the United Kingdom were acquired by Artificial Eye.