I definitely felt a sense of irony watching Zalava, an Iranian horror film by first-time feature director Arsalan Amiri. The theme of superstition clashing headfirst with scientific beliefs is a theme we all can relate to in the world right now, and while the struggle continues in real life, this made for a solid film that was well-crafted and thought-out from start to finish.
While the story and psychological aspect of the film may be familiar, the coy and smartly placed sense of humor and the creepy settings make this film stand out.
Zalava is set in 1978 in a village in the Kurdish mountains, and it immediately makes the viewer uncomfortable. A Gendarmerie sergeant named Masoud (wonderfully portrayed by Navid Pourfaraj) tries to take control of the situation in Zalava but only escalates the problem, resulting in heightened paranoia, superstition, and fear.
Director Amiri (who also co-wrote the film alongside Tahmineh Bahramalian and Ida Panahandeh) sets up the film’s first half very well. We learn about the history of Zalava and some possible reasons why the people are the way they are. The issue is how they deal with the so-called problems, which is where Masoud comes in.
He is joined by Maliheh (Hoda Zeinolabedin), a government doctor collecting blood samples in the region. They watch helplessly as the inhabitants of Zalava call in an exorcist, Amardan (Pouria Rahimi Sam), who tries to banish a very powerful demon.
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As we roll into the second half, the writer and director up the game a bit, throwing some effective jump scares, combined with great locations and atmosphere, to create a great sense of dread hanging over everything. No one really knows if it is due to a real threat or one that has been built up by superstition and imagination.
It’s a nice mix, and the filmmakers do a solid job playing off this well, infusing even the slower moments with some very clever ideas to build up the suspense.
The cinematography is great, and the score gives it that extra push without being overbearing. It effectively capitalizes on key moments with utter science to go with the long, dark shadows captured so well. For a low-budget film, Amiri and his cast take full advantage of the surroundings and talent around them.
While we may have seen some of these ideas play out before, the comparison between Zalava and the real-life struggle of science versus superstition surrounding COVID-19 is remarkable. The movie is solid in its own right, but this elevates it. Zalava is a fantastic watch, and it does well at giving the viewer shivers with both the story and how it relates to the real world once they step out of the theater.
Zalava had its premiere at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.
