HOLY SPIDER

Denmark, 2022, 118 minutes, Colour.

Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Mehdi Bajestani.

Directed by Ali Abbasi.

A striking and alarming film. It is based on actual events, set in the second most populous city in Iran, Mashhad, in the country’s north-east, 2000-2001, the murder of prostitutes in the city.

While the story is Iranian, it is more graphic in presentation of the events, the sexual scenes and some nudity, then would be allowed in the Iranian industry in the country censorship regulations. In fact, the film was financed by Denmark and was its nominee for Academy Award considerations in 2022.

The film begins as something of a murder mystery, a mysterious killer, picking up the prostitutes, taking them to an apartment, murdering them and disposing of their bodies. However, the screenplay soon reveals who the killer is. He is a devout Muslim, dedicated to the memory of the Imam who is venerated in Mashhad. And his motivation is religious, that the women are corrupt, that the streets and the city should be rid of them, this is a holy quest.

The killer is a family man, working on building sites, even observing the finding of one of the bodies. Once his identity is revealed, the film shows him at home with his young wife, their outings together, the young boy whom he encourages, and he is devoted to the little girl. He has meals with his in-laws. However, he finds occasion to ride his bike through the city, encountering the prostitutes, their request for money and his offering it, and then the details, once again, of his taking them to the apartment, the vicious killings, the responses, their fears, and his disposing of the bodies.

The main character of the film, however, is a journalist who comes from Teheran, a victim of harassment by her male colleagues, under suspicion when she books into a hotel, making contact with the local press, with the local police, even harassed by the local police chief, but allowed to go to the sites where the bodies have been found. She is a determined woman and decides, especially after an encounter with an ailing prostitute who is found murdered, to set herself up for entrapment.

In fact, she is picked up, confronts the murderer, his attempts to kill her, her summoning backup.

With the religious motivation of the killings, the killer has some protection from the authorities, even from the police who want to clean up the streets. The accused is arrogant in court, his wife is dismayed, he is found guilty but with his political and religious support he is supposed to be whisked away by a car and protected instead of being hanged.

The finale moves quickly, the journalists present for the execution, imposing 100 lashes but this being farcical avoided, his going to the gallows expecting the escape car – which does not arrive and he is hanged.

There is a kind of epilogue where the young son, now proud of his father, his being interviewed for television, giving detailed explanations of how his father lured the women, treated them, using his young sister to represent one of the dead bodies, to roll her up in the carpet… An eerie ending to challenge Iranian morality, religious motivations, quests of violence.

1. Based on a true story? Crime, murder, prostitutes, the mission of ritual cleansing?
2. The writer-director, Iranian, not filming in Iran, censorship in Iran, the franker presentation of issues, women, sexual scenes and nudity? A film from Denmark?
3. The title, the killer, the response of the media, the nickname, deadly, tentacles? But in the name of religion?
4. The situation, the sacred city, the Imam, his tomb, devotions and pilgrimage? The police and their attitudes, the ridding of the streets of prostitutes? The authorities? Legal attitudes? Religious attitudes? The judge and interviews?
5. The press, journalists, freedom of the press, the stories, police collaboration, political collaboration, hindrances? The journalists and their working? Going into action, entrapment?
6. The scenes of the prostitutes, the mother farewelling her child, on the streets, the bike ride, the apartment, at home, the response of the man, issue of money, the bathroom, the killings, the wrapping of the bodies, disposing of them in the fields? The repetition of the murders? The victims? Sex work, drug addictions, family support?
7. The revelation about Saeed, seeing him at work, fellow workers, the discoveries of the bodies, his observing? At home, his wife, his son and his demands on him, the little girl? The young wife? Life at home, his domination, his in-laws and the meal? The discussions? His prayer and religious motivations?
8. Seeing him in action, observing, on the bike, picking of the women, the money, taking them home, the young woman, her mother controlling her being on the street, the opium her mother, her murder, situations for Saeed, his wife returning, the stains on the floor, the carpet rolled? Disposal of the body?
9. Journalist, a woman journalist in Iran, coming from Teheran, her story about male editors and harassment? Her reputation? Settling in, suspicions of the hotel accepting her? Her visit to the editor, the discussions? The visit to the police, the discussions, being allowed on the site for the discovery of the body, observation, her physical reaction? The later approach by the policeman and her rejection?
10. Her going on the streets, seeing the women, observing, the young woman at the cafe, helping her, the discovery of her body? The discussions with the editor, her being prepared to be picked up and confront, her accepting the ride, going to the apartment, Saeed and his reaction, the struggle, wounding? The backup, contact with the editor, the police, say it rest?
11. Saeed, in prison, the interrogations, disbelief in his wife, the reaction of his children, their being taunted at school? His allies in power, the plan to get him off, his presence in prison, in the courtroom? His speeches, self-defence? The journalist, her testimony, observing?
12. The plan, to his pleading guilty, his religious motivation, the plan for his escape?
13. The journalist and the editor, being at the execution, her demand that he have 100 lashes, the pretence? His going to the gallows, self-righteous, shocked, no rescue, his response, his being hanged?
14. The eerie ending, the young boy being interviewed, praising his father, the re-enactment of what happened, his little sister as the victim and the carpet…?