SPECIAL LIVE Q&A SCREENING WITH RAMSEY CAMPBELL

NOTE: THIS AND ALL FUTURE SCREENINGS WILL BE AT THE BEACON ARTS VILLAGE, THE OLD TOWN HALL, ONE, THE QUADRANT, HOYLAKE CH47 2EE

DOORS OPEN 6.30pm. BAR AND FOOD AVAILABLE FROM 6.30 – 11.30 pm. FILM STARTS 7.30pm.

Year: 2016
Country: Iran/Qatar/Jordan/UK
Directed by: Babak Anvari

Cast:
Narges Rashidi (Shideh)
Avin Manshadi (Dorsa)
Bobby Naderi (Iraj)
Arash Marandi (Dr. Reza)
Aram Ghasemy (Mrs. Ebrahimi)
Soussan Farrokhnia (Mrs. Fakur)
Ray Haratian (Mr. Ebrahimi)

Under the Shadow is a supernatural thriller with underlying themes of social oppression, cultural fears, domesticity, and the institutionalized subjugation of women. It is the directorial debut of Iranian-born Babak Anvari.

Amidst the terrors of war-torn post-revolutionary Tehran in the 1980s, former medical student Shideh chooses to stay in her city apartment with her daughter Dorsa, despite the protests of her husband Iraj, a doctor who is called up to the military. Dorsa is upset to see her father go, and Iraj promises her that her favourite doll, Kimia, will protect her.

A boy moves in with the neighbours after his parents are killed in an attack. He tells Dorsa about the legend of the Djinn and gives her a charm to ward off evil spirits. Shideh throws the charm away and visits Mrs. Ebrahimi, who informs her that the boy has been mute ever since the death of his parents.

During a shelling, a missile strikes their building. Kimia goes missing in the commotion, and Dorsa insists that someone took her. Her behaviour becomes erratic; she insists there is a strange presence in the house, repeatedly trying to get into the upper floor, believing that Kimia is there…

The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and was selected as the British entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards.

84 mins Cert 15