98TH ACADEMY AWARDS®
OFFICIAL SELECTION – CANADA
— IN THEATERS NOVEMBER 14, 2025 —
2025 Sundance Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic
Written & Directed By: Alireza Khatami
Starring: Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü, Ercan Kesal, Serhat Nalbantoğlu, Aysan Sümercan, Selen Kurtaran
“It’s absorbing, suspenseful, and deeply moving — a case study in how to make an effective psychological thriller.” — VULTURE
“A quiet and formally rigorous portrait of a paternalistic society, the crimes it breeds, and the fury, shame, regret, and self-loathing that follows.” — THE DAILY BEAST
“A riveting blend of Lynchian oddity and Turkish realism.” — ROGEREBERT.COM
Questioning the suspicious death of his mother, a university professor and his enigmatic gardener descend into a hypnotic maze of mirrors and memories. As family secrets surface and painful truths emerge, they spiral toward a devastating reckoning with the darkness lurking within us all.
Running Time: 115 minutes
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER, ALIREZA KHATAMI
Alireza Khatami is an award-winning writer, director, and producer based in Canada.
Born into the indigenous Khamse tribe in southeast Iran, Alireza draws from the rich oral storytelling traditions of his heritage, crafting a unique style that blends magic realism with sharp social commentary. Known for his bold cinematic choices that defy convention, his films unravel the invisible architecture of power, tracing societal systems and psychological forces that shape human behavior and identity.
Alireza began as an assistant director alongside esteemed filmmakers, including two-time Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi. His debut feature, Oblivion Verses, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2017, garnering critical acclaim and winning multiple awards, including the Orizzonti Award for Best Screenplay and the FIPRESCI prize. His second feature, Terrestrial Verses (co-directed with Ali Asgari), premiered in the Un Certain Regard competition at Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews and has been theatrically released in more than 15 countries.
Alireza continues his boundary-pushing cinema with his latest film, The Things You Kill, which world premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at Sundance 2025.
Source: Cineverse
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
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