FILMS

Director: Arsalan Amiri

Starring: Navid Pourfaraj, Pouria Rahimi Sam,
Baset Rezaei

Iran, 2020, 1 hour 33 minutes, subtitles

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Intensely atmospheric this cleverly mixes Kurdish folklore and mild horror conventions to great effect. Sent to investigate reports of demonic possession in a remote mountain village, a sceptical army officer, Masoud curses the villagers for fools and arrests the exorcist as a conman. As the villagers fear and anger grow Masoud finds himself and his love interest, the local doctor surrounded by villagers who believe they are both possessed. Skilfully directed and well performed this makes for an engaging mix of genre thrills and acute social satire.

 

“a confident, cinema-literate feature debut”   Variety

 

“Amiri’s visual sense, along with a surprising streak of dark humor, keeps it humming from first frame to last.”   

rogerebert.com

 

Winner of the Grand Prize Venice International Critics Week at Venice Film Festival 2021

 

Winner of Best First Film & Best Screenplay at Fajr Film Festival 2021