The Iranian Government says that those in the crew of the film, which left the Cannes Film Festival with an award, will be punished.
Based on the true story of serial killer Saeed Hanaei, who killed 16 women before being captured in 2001, “Holy Spider” brings to the screen the fascinating and compelling story behind one of Iran’s most notorious killers.
“Holy Spider” had its world premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Written and directed by Ali Abbasi, the film garnered Zar Amir-Ebrahimi the Best Actress Award and was widely praised for her bold and unwavering approach. The trailer for the movie offers a glimpse into the story behind a journalist who risks everything to find the truth and bring justice, his efforts to uncover a lawless man in a city filled with great terror, the dark, rich and meditative investigation.
As Netflix’s record-breaking serial killer series “DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” shows once again, viewers can’t help but watch productions about these dark, disturbing people. “Holy Spider” is not only a serial killer story, but also pierces Iran’s patriarchal society codes and presents a striking story in the light of current events.
The film was nominated for the 2023 Academy Awards by Denmark, but the Iranian government is not happy about it. Iranian Minister of Culture and Guidance Mohammad Mehdi Ismaili about the film, which the Iranian Cinema Institution also reacted to on the grounds that it “insulted national and religious values”, “This movie was shot in Jordan and the main actors of the movie are abroad. There is no license from Iran. There is no license from Iran. In the production of the film within the country. In the event that they are found to be collaborating, they will definitely be punished according to the cinema law,” he said.
