Under the Shadow (2016)

“The trauma of war and societal upheaval is rendered human-sized in “Under the Shadow,” even with the paranormal elements. Anvari is Iranian-born, with childhood memories of the Revolution and the years following. “Under the Shadow” is clearly a personal film, and Anvari has assembled an extremely talented team to make that a reality. Production designer Nasser Zoubi and set decorator Karim Kheir create the period gently, without a hint of nostalgic fetishism. The visual effects are sparingly used but truly spooky, and there are many spine-chilling scream-worthy moments.

The two leads, Rashidi and Manshadi, create a relationship prickling with tension and impatience, exploding into mutual rage and suspicion. It is amazing to consider that this is Manshadi’s debut. When she digs her heels in, she really digs her heels in. Her eyes squint with hostility when she looks at her mother tearing apart a bedroom looking for the missing doll. Dorsa sees things her mother cannot. She speaks to entities that are not there. She believes. Rashidi’s visceral performance is meticulously structured in its emotional progression, although the end result does not feel “structured” at all. What we see is a woman losing her mind. The cracks in the ceiling open … what will come through? Can it be kept out? Will the solid ever be solid again? There is no escape, for characters or audience. “Under the Shadow” is unnerving in the extreme.” – Roger Ebert

“Focusing on a mother and daughter besieged by forces both worldly and otherwise in a Tehran apartment block, Under the Shadow presents a gripping portrait of an independently spirited woman shackled by sharia law who becomes more scared of the demonic forces tormenting her daughter than of the lashes threatened by her rulers or of fire falling from the sky. A very impressive feature debut by Iran-born, London-based film-maker Babak Anvari, this is thoughtful, provocative and increasingly scary fare, which succeeds equally as feminist fable, fractured family drama and full-on fright-fest.” – Guardian UK

“Writer/director Babak Anvari uses his setting to great effect, drawing on his own childhood memories of the conflict to build an authentically frightening backdrop for his story. Like all the best horror movies, Under the Shadow is compelling even before the monsters show up. Shideh is already living a nightmare, the world around her changing so quickly and so horribly that she finds herself constantly admonished for doing things she used to take for granted – things we’d take for granted now, like watching a favorite film on video, driving a car, or running out of the house in terror without stopping to put on a headscarf. What’s a djinni or two on top of that?

Because of the care that’s been taken over the film’s setting and character-building, it’s easy to see Under the Shadow as a metaphor for the horrors of war; you could choose to think of it as a story about a woman losing her grip on reality while under enormous pressure, rather than as a straightforward supernatural shocker. The film works just as well whether you believe the monsters are real or not, and the script never confirms anything either way. Let’s just say horror fans won’t be disappointed if they’re hoping for scares – there are several jump-out-of-your-seat, hope-your-heart-hasn’t-actually-stopped-beating moments of pure fear along the way.” – Den of Geek