Holy Spider

Holy Spider, along with forthcoming Winners, are tragically topical and in tune with what is happening in Iran today. With the subjugation of women as well as protestors following the death of Mahsa Amini, the country is being scrutinized as never before.

Both films deal the destitution and poverty affecting the population. Holy Spider digs deeper into the misogyny and cultural issues that at are tearing through the country.

Based on the true story of 2002 serial killer (Saeed Hanaei (played here by Mehdi Bajestani) who murdered sixteen women (the ‘spider killings’ whom he believed were sinners. In his mind he was on a holy mission to cleanse the streets of prostitution and drug addicts.

Arriving in the sacred city of Mashhad to cover the murders investigative journalist Rahimi (Zar Amir Ebrahimi) is immediately subject to difficulties because of her gender, with questions at the hotel about her modesty and being alone and unmarried. Her status as a journalist grants her some flexibility, if limited.

With her colleague local reporter Sharifi (Arash Ashtiani) Rahimi sets about the case, interviewing families and the police. What starts to emerge is a society (women in particular) that is struggling with poverty and poor prospects, that is locked in a mindset that sees the women murdered as deserving and the killer held up, by some, as an example to society and his of faith and to be admired.

This procedural runs parallel to Saeed’s life at work and home. A seemingly loving family man he has severe mental health problems. He is struggling with his identity and his faith. A broken man, a veteran of the Iran/Iraq war continually questioning his worth having survived while many of his comrades were killed, and in his eyes martyred.

It’s a powerful film that despite some odd moments – Rahimi unlikely confrontation with Saeed – is a condemnation of sections of Iran’s media, politics, police and society. The performances are to a person excellent with an very good script from director Ali Abbasi co-written with Afshin Kamran Bahrami.

Abbasi paces the film well, with beautiful use of the shadows of night, and doesn’t hold back on the violence of the attacks which are ugly and brutal. The film has two major strands: the difficulty of Rahmini doing her job because she is an assertive woman in a prejudiced, patriarchal culture and provides an understanding of Saeed while condemning him and those that would see him treated more leniently than he eventually was. Abbasi quite skilfully deals with them both without letting one override the other, so the film appears as a solid singular work.

Holy Spider will be released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on 20 January 2023 and on MUBI from 10 March 2023.