The brilliant Mohsen Tanabandeh stars as Shakib, a homeless day laborer. Still traumatized by the loss of his family in an earthquake, Shakib finds some solace in his relationship with a deaf and mute prostitute named Ladan. When Shakib finds work building sets for a movie set in a Nazi concentration camp, a series of circumstances lead to Shakib being cast in a crucial role and given a home to stay in during production. When Ladan learns about Shakib’s good fortune, she arrives on set looking for help in escaping her violent pimp and, in a decision that puts his newfound status in jeopardy, Shakib agrees to hide her from his employers. Director and co-screenwriter Houman Seyedi is a veteran actor in Iranian film, television, and theater. He also has an undeniable talent for visual storytelling and his weird and memorable variation on Day for Night draws the viewer in from its opening scenes. Suspenseful and acidly satirical, World War III reflects on the transformative power of movie-making, and the corrupting nature of power in all forms. Winner, Best Film & Best Actor, Venice Horizons Award, 2022 Venice Film Festival. “With the urgency of a good thriller and the clarity of a fable, World War III is the grueling but compelling tale of how one of life’s victims learns to imitate his oppressors” (Screen International). (JH)
This film is part of the Wisconsin Film Festival. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.