Persian noir: Ali Abbasi's new genre introduces underbelly universe
Iranian-Danish director Ali Abbasi speaks during a press conference for the film "Holy Spider" at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, May 23, 2022. (AFP Photo)


Iranian-Danish director Ali Abbasi's "Holy Spider" screened at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday offers a glance into a new cinematic genre: Persian noir.

The movie takes viewers to the outskirts of an Iranian city, where serial killer Saeed Hanaei, played by Mehdi Bajestani, hunts down destitute prostitutes in what he sees as a cleansing mission.

Pursuing him, investigative journalist Rahimi, played by Zar Amir Ebrahimi, suspects local corruption is hampering his arrest.

Director Ali Abbasi poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Holy Spider' at the 75th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, May 23, 2022. (AP Photo)

"We want to build a universe, a universe which is dark, which has an underbelly, which has vice, which has trouble, which has all sorts of conflicts ongoing," said Abbasi. "Is that an accurate portrait of Iran?"

The movie shows a society that is unforgiving to those who deviate from its religious rules. When the real-life "spider killer" was caught in 2001, he found support for his argument that he was stamping out what he called moral corruption, although he was convicted and executed the following year.

Mehdi Bajestani, Zar Amir Ebrahimi and director Ali Abbasi (R) attend the photocall for 'Holy Spider' during the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France, 23 May 2022. (EPA Photo)

"I'm talking about a real case – we didn't know ... would he be convicted? Would he be punished?" said Abbasi.

The movie, distributed by Metropolitan Filmexport, is one of 21 films vying for the festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or. Abbasi won the Cannes prize in the "Un Certain Regard," category in 2018 with "Border."

Describing the contradictory nature of Iranian society, where women may be highly trained doctors and engineers but are also subject to tight controls over what they wear and how they look in public, the director said he sought to expose these tensions.

(L-R) Forouzan Jamshidnejad, Sol Bondy, Zar Amir-Ebrahimi, director Ali Abbasi, a young guest, and Mehdi Bajestani arrive for the screening of 'Holy Spider' during the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France, 22 May 2022. (EPA Photo)

"This picture is not one-sided. There is reason to hope. There's also reason to fear," he said.

Also, the director said that he sees his country's cinematic tradition as "too damned metaphorical" and believes that films should be more direct.

"I don't feel at home in Iranian cinema," Abbasi said.

"There's always a flower blowing in the wind that's supposed to be a symbol for some damned thing or other," he said. "I think a film is a smack in the teeth – it's not a damned bouquet."