Set in 1978, in a Kurdish village high in the mountains, Iranian horror entry “Zalava” pits rational, scientific beliefs against superstition and groupthink, a theme that carries a lot of resonance just now. At the same time, it sports a sly sense of humor before edging into tragedy. . But perhaps its biggest asset is the performance of tall, toned and impressively mustached star Navid Pourfaraj as the sergeant of a nearby gendarmerie, whose attempts to lay down the law with the trigger-happy residents of Zalava result in unintended consequences. Nabbing the Venice Fipresci nod should raise the profile of this offbeat title.
The first half of the film uses title cards and dialogue for exposition, some details of which are never further developed. Most pertinently, we learn that Zalava was founded a century ago by a band of Gypsies traveling from east to west. Now, the inhabitants are a credulous, inbred bunch,...
The first half of the film uses title cards and dialogue for exposition, some details of which are never further developed. Most pertinently, we learn that Zalava was founded a century ago by a band of Gypsies traveling from east to west. Now, the inhabitants are a credulous, inbred bunch,...
- 9/10/2021
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
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