The UK has selected Babak Anvari’s supernatural horror Under The Shadow as its entry into 2017’s Academy Awards. The film is in the Farsi language and set in Tehran, but Babak Anvari is British-Iranian. Under The Shadow will be the UK’s submission into the foreign-language award and, obviously, we hope it comes away with an Oscar in hand at the end of Oscars’s night.
We loved Under The Shadow, thinking it is was a beautifully constructed, touching portrait of a war-torn Iran. Also, it delivered more than a few unnerving frights with its unsettling depiction of a haunted home, so will please those looking for a feature that is genuinely spooky. You can check out our 4-star review here.
Synopsis:
Set in 1988 Iran, during the bloodshed of the Iran-Iraq War. Shideh and her daughter Dorsa start to believe their family home is haunted by “djinn” — evil spirits that are trying to steal their most prized belongings, including a treasured cloth doll.
Under The Shadow is set to be getting the remake treatment, with the location moving to London during the Blitz. The director has not been chosen and the plot is currently being kept under-wraps, but Anvari will be on-board as a producer.
Under The Shadow will be released in the UK on 30th September and in the USA on 7th October. You can read our interview with Babak Anvari right here.
Words: Jessy Williams (@JessyCritical)
