Holy Spider

Writer-director Ali Abbasi (Border) takes us to the mean streets of Mashhad in this true crime thriller featuring an acclaimed performance by Zar Amir Ebrahimi.

Journalist Rahimi (Zar Amir Ebrahimi from Shayda) travels to the Iranian holy city of Mashhad to investigate the Spider Killer: a serial killer who believes he is doing the work of God by cleansing the streets of sex workers. As the body count mounts, and Rahimi draws closer to exposing his crimes, the opportunity for justice grows harder to attain as a contingent of the public begin to embrace him as a vigilante hero.

Curator's Note

No stranger to Cannes, Ali Abbasi's two most recent films premiered at the festival to high acclaim. Border (2018) premiered in the Un Certain Regard section where it received the Un Certain Regard Award, and Holy Spider screened in competition where Zar Amir Ebrahimi received the award for Best Actress.

This year, Ali Abbasi will return to Cannes with his new Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice starring Sebastian Stan in the lead role.

– Reece Goodwin, Curator (Film & TV)