HOLY SPIDER (Les nuits de Mashhad)

Showings

Description

Friday | Feb 17 | 4:15 PM

Director: Ali Abassi

Denmark | 116 mins | Persian w/ subtitles

Shortlisted for the Academy Awards

Set in Iran but shot in Jordan, this is Ali Abassi’s third feature (his celebrated debut Border played at VTIFF in 2018). Female journalist Rahimi travels to the Iranian holy city of Mashhad to investigate a serial killer targeting sex workers. Constructed as a thriller, the film is also a clear, multi-faceted picture of many obstacles and challenges that Iranian women face. Based on the true story of the ‘Spider Killer’ Saeed Hanaei, who saw himself as on a mission from God as he killed 16 women between 2000 and 2001.