The PG-13 rating, at least for horror, often induces derision or skepticism, like an instant shackle on the horror. A PG-13 rating broadcasts straightaway not to expect any excessive gore, violence, or any of the explicit fun stuff that tends to be horror’s bread and butter. But those things aren’t synonymous with horror’s true aim, which is to scare you silly.
Luckily, PG-13 horror has proven time and time again throughout the decades that it’s more than capable of inducing chills. Especially when it comes to the supernatural.
This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to PG-13 horror movies that bring the terror through ghostly jump scares, ominous atmosphere, and more. That the PG-13 rating means they also double as potential gateway horror for the budding monster kid is a bonus.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks,...
Luckily, PG-13 horror has proven time and time again throughout the decades that it’s more than capable of inducing chills. Especially when it comes to the supernatural.
This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to PG-13 horror movies that bring the terror through ghostly jump scares, ominous atmosphere, and more. That the PG-13 rating means they also double as potential gateway horror for the budding monster kid is a bonus.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks,...
- 2/19/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s 1972 drama, is being reimagined for the second time in as many years, this time by a team of Iranian filmmakers.
Fassbinder’s movie has also been adapted by high-profile French filmmaker François Ozon, with his French-language version starring Denis Menochet, Isabelle Adjani and Hanna Schygulla set to open the Berlin Film Festival next month.
The Bitter Tears of Zahra Zand, which is Farsi-language, has now wrapped filming in London.
Directed and co-written by Vahid Hakimzadeh (Greater Things) along with co-writer and star Boshra Dastournezhad (Radio Dreams), the film is a tragicomic melodrama that tells the story of Zahra Zand (Dastournezhad), a high society fashion designer from Iran who has fled the Islamic revolution of 1979. Recently divorced, she lives in the fantasy world of her glamorous apartment in 1980s London. Distraught at the loss of her country, she descends...
Fassbinder’s movie has also been adapted by high-profile French filmmaker François Ozon, with his French-language version starring Denis Menochet, Isabelle Adjani and Hanna Schygulla set to open the Berlin Film Festival next month.
The Bitter Tears of Zahra Zand, which is Farsi-language, has now wrapped filming in London.
Directed and co-written by Vahid Hakimzadeh (Greater Things) along with co-writer and star Boshra Dastournezhad (Radio Dreams), the film is a tragicomic melodrama that tells the story of Zahra Zand (Dastournezhad), a high society fashion designer from Iran who has fled the Islamic revolution of 1979. Recently divorced, she lives in the fantasy world of her glamorous apartment in 1980s London. Distraught at the loss of her country, she descends...
- 1/13/2022
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Guest reviewer Lee Broughton returns with a review of Babak Anvari’s Under the Shadow (2016), a smart tale of supernatural happenings out in the Middle East. A Farsi language British production shot in Jordan, the film is set in Tehran at the height of the Iran-Iraq War that ran throughout most of the 1980s. Here the atmosphere of fear and anxiety that is generated within a bombed out apartment block attracts a group of demonic Djinn that are intent on spiriting away a vulnerable young girl.
Under the Shadow
Region-free Blu-ray
Second Sight
2016 / Color / 2.35:1 / 84 min. / Street Date, 10 February 2020 / Available at Diabolik DVD or Amazon.uk
Starring: Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi, Soussan Farrokhnia, Aram Ghasemy, Ray Haratian, Karam Rashayda, Arah Marandi.
Cinematography: Kit Fraser
Film Editor: Christopher Barwell
Production Designer: Nasser Zoubi
Original Music: Gavin Cullen and Will McGillivray
Produced by Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill, Emily Leo
Written...
Under the Shadow
Region-free Blu-ray
Second Sight
2016 / Color / 2.35:1 / 84 min. / Street Date, 10 February 2020 / Available at Diabolik DVD or Amazon.uk
Starring: Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi, Soussan Farrokhnia, Aram Ghasemy, Ray Haratian, Karam Rashayda, Arah Marandi.
Cinematography: Kit Fraser
Film Editor: Christopher Barwell
Production Designer: Nasser Zoubi
Original Music: Gavin Cullen and Will McGillivray
Produced by Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill, Emily Leo
Written...
- 2/25/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
While the horror genre is always on the verge of losing its touch with many entries being too mainstream and too polished, there are always a few movies within a year that manage to hit a certain nerve. Movies such as Jennifer Kent’s “The Babadook”, David Robert Mitchell’s “It Follows” or Robert Eggers “The VVitch” are not only cleverly made genre movies, but the horror in them goes far beyond a few scary moments for the terror is within us all, in our worlds and in our lives, making it sometimes quite difficult to watch these films. In the midst of these movies, it is therefore a shame Babak Anvari’s feature “Under The Shadow” debut has been ignored by so many audiences, even though it delivers not only a powerful allegory about Iran’s history and its view on the family, but also one of the most...
- 2/23/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Babak Anvari and Lucan Toh, the team behind hot Sundance pic Wounds, have struck a first-look deal with AMC.
I hear the broadcaster has recently closed the pact to partner with Anvari and Toh’s Two & Two Pictures for television projects.
It comes after their horror feature Wounds, which was written and directed by Anvari and produced by Toh, premiered this year at the Sundance Film Festival. The film, which stars Armie Hammer, Dakota Johnson, Zazie Beetz, Karl Glusman, and Brad William Henke, centers around the mysterious things that impact a bartender after he picks up the phone left behind at his New Orleans bar. It is based on Nathan Ballingrund’s horror novella The Visible Filth.
Wounds was Anvari’s second directorial feature; the British-Iranian helmer previously directed Under The Shadow, a Farsi-language horror pic that stars Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi. Set in 1988 Tehran during the Iran-Iraq war,...
I hear the broadcaster has recently closed the pact to partner with Anvari and Toh’s Two & Two Pictures for television projects.
It comes after their horror feature Wounds, which was written and directed by Anvari and produced by Toh, premiered this year at the Sundance Film Festival. The film, which stars Armie Hammer, Dakota Johnson, Zazie Beetz, Karl Glusman, and Brad William Henke, centers around the mysterious things that impact a bartender after he picks up the phone left behind at his New Orleans bar. It is based on Nathan Ballingrund’s horror novella The Visible Filth.
Wounds was Anvari’s second directorial feature; the British-Iranian helmer previously directed Under The Shadow, a Farsi-language horror pic that stars Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi. Set in 1988 Tehran during the Iran-Iraq war,...
- 3/19/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
’Under The Shadow’, ’Radio Dreams’ actors set for project from Dutch-Iranian Kaweh Modiri.
A cast of actors with Iranian roots whose credits include Under The Shadow, Radio Dreams and Fack Ju Göthe 2, have signed up for Dutch-Iranian Kaweh Modiri’s upcoming suspense drama Mitra.
Inspired by the director’s own family history, the project will be set between present day Netherlands and 1981 Tehran. 37 years after her daughter Mitra was executed in Iran and she fled her home country, Haleh leads a successful life as a renowned academic in the Netherlands. Her peaceful existence is shaken by the arrival of...
A cast of actors with Iranian roots whose credits include Under The Shadow, Radio Dreams and Fack Ju Göthe 2, have signed up for Dutch-Iranian Kaweh Modiri’s upcoming suspense drama Mitra.
Inspired by the director’s own family history, the project will be set between present day Netherlands and 1981 Tehran. 37 years after her daughter Mitra was executed in Iran and she fled her home country, Haleh leads a successful life as a renowned academic in the Netherlands. Her peaceful existence is shaken by the arrival of...
- 3/1/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
MaryAnn’s quick take… A sinister tapestry of urban unease and feminist fury that turns an ordinary domestic setting into a place of skulking terror. Original and deeply creepy. I’m “biast” (pro): I’m desperate for stories about women
I’m “biast” (con): not much of a horror fan
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
A young mother and her small daughter, under extreme stress and increasingly isolated, find themselves under attack by a menacing supernatural presence. Under the Shadow’s basic premise may sound familiar, even banal for the genre, but this is as fresh and as exhilarating as horror movies come, not least because of its extraordinary setting: late 1980s Tehran, when the city was under regular aerial bombardment from Iraqi missiles in the waning years of the long Iran-Iraq war.
When her husband, Iraj (Bobby Naderi), is called up for his annual military service,...
I’m “biast” (con): not much of a horror fan
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
A young mother and her small daughter, under extreme stress and increasingly isolated, find themselves under attack by a menacing supernatural presence. Under the Shadow’s basic premise may sound familiar, even banal for the genre, but this is as fresh and as exhilarating as horror movies come, not least because of its extraordinary setting: late 1980s Tehran, when the city was under regular aerial bombardment from Iraqi missiles in the waning years of the long Iran-Iraq war.
When her husband, Iraj (Bobby Naderi), is called up for his annual military service,...
- 1/26/2017
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
This has easily been the hardest time I’ve ever had whittling down my favorite genre offerings for the year. I was fortunate to watch so many great movies throughout the course of the last 12 months (over 150—new and old!), and considering the quality of projects from both the studio and independent sides of the business was exceedingly high, I probably could have featured 20 films on this list, and still would have at least a dozen more I could recommend to fellow fans. 2016 was definitely one of the best recent years in horror and that’s pretty rad.
Beyond the realm of movies, horror also had a strong showing on TV, as it seems almost every single network these days has something of interest if you’re looking to immerse yourself in horror on the small screen. I was also fortunate enough to attend several amazing genre events in 2016, making...
Beyond the realm of movies, horror also had a strong showing on TV, as it seems almost every single network these days has something of interest if you’re looking to immerse yourself in horror on the small screen. I was also fortunate enough to attend several amazing genre events in 2016, making...
- 1/3/2017
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Here's the full list of winners at the British Independent Film Awards:
Best British Independent Film
American Honey, dir: Andrea Arnold
Best Director
Andrea Arnold, American Honey
Best Actor
Dave Johns, I, Daniel Blake
Best Actress
Sasha Lane, American Honey
Best Screenplay
Babak Anvari, Under The Shadow
Best Documentary
Notes On Blindness, dir: Peter Middleton
Best Supporting Actress
Avin Manshadi, Under The Shadow
Best Supporting Actor
Brett Goldstein, Adult Life Skills
Discovery Award
The Greasy Strangler: Jim Hosking, Toby Harvard, Daniel Noah, Andrew Starke, Ant Timpson, Josh C Waller, Elijah Wood
Best Debut Screenwriter
Rachel Tunnard, Adult Life Skills
Best International Independent Film
Moonlight, dir: Barry Jenkins
The Douglas Hickox Award (Debut Director)
Babak Anvari, Under The Shadow
Outstanding Achievement in Craft
Robbie Ryan: Cinematography, American Honey
Breakthrough Producer
Camille Gatin: The Girl With All The Gifts
Most Promising Newcomer
Hayley Squires: I, Daniel Blake
Best...
Best British Independent Film
American Honey, dir: Andrea Arnold
Best Director
Andrea Arnold, American Honey
Best Actor
Dave Johns, I, Daniel Blake
Best Actress
Sasha Lane, American Honey
Best Screenplay
Babak Anvari, Under The Shadow
Best Documentary
Notes On Blindness, dir: Peter Middleton
Best Supporting Actress
Avin Manshadi, Under The Shadow
Best Supporting Actor
Brett Goldstein, Adult Life Skills
Discovery Award
The Greasy Strangler: Jim Hosking, Toby Harvard, Daniel Noah, Andrew Starke, Ant Timpson, Josh C Waller, Elijah Wood
Best Debut Screenwriter
Rachel Tunnard, Adult Life Skills
Best International Independent Film
Moonlight, dir: Barry Jenkins
The Douglas Hickox Award (Debut Director)
Babak Anvari, Under The Shadow
Outstanding Achievement in Craft
Robbie Ryan: Cinematography, American Honey
Breakthrough Producer
Camille Gatin: The Girl With All The Gifts
Most Promising Newcomer
Hayley Squires: I, Daniel Blake
Best...
- 12/8/2016
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
American Honey won the award for best British film, while Sasha Lane was named best actress at BIFAs Andrea Arnold's road trip drama American Honey was named Best British independent film at the BIFAs last night, while Arnold picked up the best director accolade. The film also saw Sasha Lane named best actress for her debut in the film and Robbie Ryan pick up the achievement in craft award for his cinematography.
Babak Anvari also made a big impact with his debut, the Tehran-set horror Under The Shadow. The Farsi language film, which tells the story of a mother and daughter terrorised by a djinn saw Anvari pick up the Douglas Hickox Award for best debut film and the screenplay prize. His nine-year-old star Avin Manshadi was named best supporting actress for her first screen role.
The best actor award went to Dave Johns for his role in Ken Loach's benefits drama I,...
Babak Anvari also made a big impact with his debut, the Tehran-set horror Under The Shadow. The Farsi language film, which tells the story of a mother and daughter terrorised by a djinn saw Anvari pick up the Douglas Hickox Award for best debut film and the screenplay prize. His nine-year-old star Avin Manshadi was named best supporting actress for her first screen role.
The best actor award went to Dave Johns for his role in Ken Loach's benefits drama I,...
- 12/5/2016
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
“American Honey” took the top prize at the 2016 British Independent Film Awards, which was held on Sunday at London’s Old Billingsgate.
“American Honey” was named Best British Independent Film, and also scored three additional awards (including Best Director for Andrea Arnold). Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” was the night’s only non-uk winner, picking up honors for Best International Independent Film.
The 19th annual Bifa ceremony, hosted by Jennifer Saunders, also presented Clare Binns with the Special Jury Prize for her “unstinting efforts in bringing independent film to new audiences.”
Naomie Harris was also presented the Variety Award by Danny Boyle, in recognition of the global impact she made this year in helping to focus the international film spotlight on the UK.
Read More: La Film Critics Association Name the Best Films and Performances of 2016
The Richard Harris Award was given to Alison Steadman by Richard Harris’ granddaughter Ella Harris and...
“American Honey” was named Best British Independent Film, and also scored three additional awards (including Best Director for Andrea Arnold). Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” was the night’s only non-uk winner, picking up honors for Best International Independent Film.
The 19th annual Bifa ceremony, hosted by Jennifer Saunders, also presented Clare Binns with the Special Jury Prize for her “unstinting efforts in bringing independent film to new audiences.”
Naomie Harris was also presented the Variety Award by Danny Boyle, in recognition of the global impact she made this year in helping to focus the international film spotlight on the UK.
Read More: La Film Critics Association Name the Best Films and Performances of 2016
The Richard Harris Award was given to Alison Steadman by Richard Harris’ granddaughter Ella Harris and...
- 12/4/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
Andrea Arnold’s epic travelogue won four awards including best independent British film.
Andrea Arnold’s American Honey was the big winner at the 2016 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs), taking four prizes from six nominations.
The film, which follows a group of young people travelling around the Us, scooped the night’s top prize, best independent British film, as well as best director for Arnold, who danced on the stage accepting her award.
BIFAs 2016: complete list of winners
Breakthrough star Sasha Lane won best actress, while cinematographer Robbie Ryan was presented with the outstanding achievement in craft prize.
Accepting the award on behalf of the absent Lane, Arnold read a text from the actress saying: “[American Honey] completely changed my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Accepting his award, Ryan joked “A very strange category, I don’t quite understand it. Here’s to all the people who are crafty.”
Ken Loach’s much-fancied...
Andrea Arnold’s American Honey was the big winner at the 2016 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs), taking four prizes from six nominations.
The film, which follows a group of young people travelling around the Us, scooped the night’s top prize, best independent British film, as well as best director for Arnold, who danced on the stage accepting her award.
BIFAs 2016: complete list of winners
Breakthrough star Sasha Lane won best actress, while cinematographer Robbie Ryan was presented with the outstanding achievement in craft prize.
Accepting the award on behalf of the absent Lane, Arnold read a text from the actress saying: “[American Honey] completely changed my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Accepting his award, Ryan joked “A very strange category, I don’t quite understand it. Here’s to all the people who are crafty.”
Ken Loach’s much-fancied...
- 12/4/2016
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Andrea Arnold’s raucous travelogue “American Honey” has been named the best independent British film of 2016 at the British Independent Film Awards, which took place on Sunday night in London. Arnold was also named best director for the film. Acting winners included Dave Johns for “I, Daniel Blake,” Sasha Lane for “American Honey,” Brett Goldstein for “Adult Life Skills” and 10-year-old Avin Manshadi for “Under the Shadow.” Hayley Squires beat her “I, Daniel Blake” castmate Johns to win the award as most promising newcomer, while “American Honey” cinematographer Robbie Ryan won in a crafts category that also included a casting director,...
- 12/4/2016
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Andrea Arnold's Cannes-bowing hit American Honey scooped the top prizes at the British Independent Film Awards, held Sunday evening in London with Absolutely Fabulous' Jennifer Saunders on hosting duty.
The drama won four awards, including best British independent film, best director, best actress for newcomer Sasha Lane and outstanding achievement in craft for cinematographer Robbie Ryan.
Under the Shadow, Babak Anvari's celebrated Farsi-language horror pic, was close behind with three awards, winning debut director and best screenplay gongs for Anvari as well as best supporting actress honors for nine-year-old Avin Manshadi. The film is the U.K.'s submission for the foreign-language...
The drama won four awards, including best British independent film, best director, best actress for newcomer Sasha Lane and outstanding achievement in craft for cinematographer Robbie Ryan.
Under the Shadow, Babak Anvari's celebrated Farsi-language horror pic, was close behind with three awards, winning debut director and best screenplay gongs for Anvari as well as best supporting actress honors for nine-year-old Avin Manshadi. The film is the U.K.'s submission for the foreign-language...
- 12/4/2016
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Each year one of our awards traditions is to help fellow Bfca members choose more wisely when it comes to the "Young Performer" category by sharing an eligibility list. The lazy nominations each year prove that help is needed. Here's the thing: it can be difficult to even think of who is eligible when you're filling out a ballot because you don't get a list of choices and it's not a category people campaign for or one that the internet talks about. So we solve that problem right here. Our other belief, which is why we do this, is that if you actually pay attention there are enough worthy performances each year to divvy this category up into male and female as the other acting categories are divvied up. But, yes, you have to be paying attention beyond 5 or 6 movies and leading roles to notice the truly special work.
Ballots...
Ballots...
- 11/17/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
The 2016 British Independent Film Award nominations have been announced, with Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or–winning “I, Daniel Blake” leading the pack with seven nominations. Andrea Arnold’s “American Honey,” Babak Anvari’s “Under the Shadow” and Rachel Tunnard’s “Adult Life Skills” all landed six nods apiece. More than 130 British films were submitted for consideration, and 32 British features have been nominated. Full list:
Best British Independent Film
“American Honey”
“Couple in a Hole”
“I, Daniel Blake”
“Notes on Blindness”
“Under the Shadow”
Best International Independent Film
“Hunt for the Wilderpeople”
“Manchester by the Sea”
“Moonlight”
“Mustang”
“Toni Erdmann”
Best Director
Andrea Arnold, “American Honey”
Babak Anvari, “Under the Shadow”
Ben Wheatley, “Free Fire”
Ken Loach, “I, Daniel Blake”
Peter Middleton and James Spinney, “Notes on Blindness”
Best Screenplay
Andrea Arnold, “American Honey”
Babak Anvari, “Under the Shadow”
Billy O’Brien and Christopher Hyde, “I Am Not a Serial Killer”
Paul Laverty,...
Best British Independent Film
“American Honey”
“Couple in a Hole”
“I, Daniel Blake”
“Notes on Blindness”
“Under the Shadow”
Best International Independent Film
“Hunt for the Wilderpeople”
“Manchester by the Sea”
“Moonlight”
“Mustang”
“Toni Erdmann”
Best Director
Andrea Arnold, “American Honey”
Babak Anvari, “Under the Shadow”
Ben Wheatley, “Free Fire”
Ken Loach, “I, Daniel Blake”
Peter Middleton and James Spinney, “Notes on Blindness”
Best Screenplay
Andrea Arnold, “American Honey”
Babak Anvari, “Under the Shadow”
Billy O’Brien and Christopher Hyde, “I Am Not a Serial Killer”
Paul Laverty,...
- 11/1/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
“The Red Turtle”, described as a ‘wordless wonder’ is closing night gala.Six critically acclaimed films from Cannes, Berlin and Sundance are confirmed in first selection for 4th Ajyal Youth Film Festival (November 30 — December 5) in Doha
The line-up includes Mena (Middle East North Africa) premieres of Cannes Palme d’Or winner “I, Daniel Blake” from Ken Loach, Asghar Farhadi’s “The Salesman”, Michaël Dudok de Wit’s “The Red Turtle” and Babak Anvari’s “Under the Shadow”; Golden Bear winner at Berlin “Fire at Sea” and Sundance favourite “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” to enjoy Qatar Premieres.
The selection celebrates excellence in world cinema today and includes films by some of the most powerful voices within the international film community.
Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO Doha Film Institute
Fatma Al Remaihi said: “We are delighted to announce the first selection of films that will screen at Ajyal Youth Film Festival this year,...
The line-up includes Mena (Middle East North Africa) premieres of Cannes Palme d’Or winner “I, Daniel Blake” from Ken Loach, Asghar Farhadi’s “The Salesman”, Michaël Dudok de Wit’s “The Red Turtle” and Babak Anvari’s “Under the Shadow”; Golden Bear winner at Berlin “Fire at Sea” and Sundance favourite “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” to enjoy Qatar Premieres.
The selection celebrates excellence in world cinema today and includes films by some of the most powerful voices within the international film community.
Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO Doha Film Institute
Fatma Al Remaihi said: “We are delighted to announce the first selection of films that will screen at Ajyal Youth Film Festival this year,...
- 10/14/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Horror generally doesn’t get the respect it deserves at the Academy Awards, which makes it all the more remarkable that the U.K. selected Babak Anvari‘s “Under The Shadow” as its entry for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards this year. This speaks not only to the film’s quality, but also how deeply its themes resonate, ringing out far beyond its expected genre borders.
Starring Narges Rashidi, Bobby Naderi, Avin Manshadi, Ray Haratian, Hamidreza Djavdan, and Soussan Farrokhnia, “Under The Shadow” tells a tightly-wound, increasingly nerve-jangling story that revolves around heroine Shideh and her family living in Tehran during the escalating tensions of the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.
Continue reading The Movies That Changed My Life: ‘Under The Shadow’ Director Babak Anvari at The Playlist.
Starring Narges Rashidi, Bobby Naderi, Avin Manshadi, Ray Haratian, Hamidreza Djavdan, and Soussan Farrokhnia, “Under The Shadow” tells a tightly-wound, increasingly nerve-jangling story that revolves around heroine Shideh and her family living in Tehran during the escalating tensions of the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.
Continue reading The Movies That Changed My Life: ‘Under The Shadow’ Director Babak Anvari at The Playlist.
- 10/13/2016
- by The Playlist Staff
- The Playlist
October is upon us. The leaves are changing. Sweaters are becoming more abundant. Awards contenders are popping up in theaters nationwide. But those are far from the only films opening throughout the coming weeks. Below, you’ll find every planned theatrical release for the month of October, separated out into films with wide runs and limited ones. (Synopses are provided by festivals and distributors.)
Each week, we’ll give you an update with more specific information on where these films are playing. In the meantime, be sure to check our calendar page, where we’ll update releases for the rest of the year. Stay warm and happy watching!
Week of October 7 Wide
The Birth of a Nation
Director: Nate Parker
Cast: Aja Naomi King, Armie Hammer, Gabrielle Union, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Junior, Nate Parker
Synopsis: Set against the antebellum South and based on a true story, “The Birth...
Each week, we’ll give you an update with more specific information on where these films are playing. In the meantime, be sure to check our calendar page, where we’ll update releases for the rest of the year. Stay warm and happy watching!
Week of October 7 Wide
The Birth of a Nation
Director: Nate Parker
Cast: Aja Naomi King, Armie Hammer, Gabrielle Union, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Junior, Nate Parker
Synopsis: Set against the antebellum South and based on a true story, “The Birth...
- 10/6/2016
- by Steve Greene and Zipporah Smith
- Indiewire
Sarah Dobbs Oct 7, 2016
The director of the brilliant Under The Shadow chats to us about how his childhood memories and love of horror movies inspired him
Every now and then, a horror movie comes along that gets people excited. Not just horror fans, but critics and cinemagoers who aren’t normally into scares. Recently we’ve had The Babadook, with its story about grief and difficult relationships between parents and their kids, and The Witch, which grabbed attention with its authentic 17th century setting and hard-to-understand accents even before the devil worshipping kicked off.
Now, there’s another scary movie that’s racking up glowing reviews left, right, and centre – everyone from the Guardian to the NME to Variety and, well, Den of Geek has raved about Under The Shadow. A brilliantly scary portrayal of life in war-torn Iran, it’s got a claustrophobic atmosphere, stunning camerawork, and some excellent...
The director of the brilliant Under The Shadow chats to us about how his childhood memories and love of horror movies inspired him
Every now and then, a horror movie comes along that gets people excited. Not just horror fans, but critics and cinemagoers who aren’t normally into scares. Recently we’ve had The Babadook, with its story about grief and difficult relationships between parents and their kids, and The Witch, which grabbed attention with its authentic 17th century setting and hard-to-understand accents even before the devil worshipping kicked off.
Now, there’s another scary movie that’s racking up glowing reviews left, right, and centre – everyone from the Guardian to the NME to Variety and, well, Den of Geek has raved about Under The Shadow. A brilliantly scary portrayal of life in war-torn Iran, it’s got a claustrophobic atmosphere, stunning camerawork, and some excellent...
- 10/6/2016
- Den of Geek
The horrors of war are nothing compared to Babak Anvari’s Under The Shadow, set against the desolate backdrop of an 80s Iraq-Iran conflict that tore Middle Eastern landscapes apart. Anvari uses this time of political unrest to tell a doom-and-gloom ghost story, pinning a mother between Iraq’s constant barrage of warheads and something impossibly worse. Upon first glance, there’s nothing to fear but bombing raids. Long periods pass as we watch families cope with aerial threats. Little do we know, Anvari is constantly cooking up a spooky story of Djinn inhabitants who begin popping up with more and more frequency. Patience is converted into anxiety, and silence into aggressive shrieks. This is a year full of first-time filmmakers confidently outshining most mainstream duds, and Anvari’s traumatic wartime wrath is yet another shining example.
Narges Rashidi stars as mother and wife Shideh, who calls a battlezone apartment in Tehran “home.
Narges Rashidi stars as mother and wife Shideh, who calls a battlezone apartment in Tehran “home.
- 10/4/2016
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
While there may be a serious lack of theatrical horror coming our way this Halloween season, fear not genre fans, as we have over 15 different horror and sci-fi titles making their way onto smaller screens this October, which should help take the sting off a bit. Several great films I happened to catch earlier on this year at various festivals – The Greasy Strangler, In A Valley of Violence and Under the Shadow – are all making their VOD debuts this month, and you also have the remastered version of Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm and the series final sequel, Phantasm: Ravager, to look forward to as well.
Other notable VOD releases for October 2016 include The Windmill, The Unspoken, ClownTown, Fear, Inc., Vampyres, Halloweed, and Goddess of Love from Jon Knautz (The Shrine, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer).
ClownTown (ITN Distribution) – October 4th
Clowntown tells the story of a group of friends who get...
Other notable VOD releases for October 2016 include The Windmill, The Unspoken, ClownTown, Fear, Inc., Vampyres, Halloweed, and Goddess of Love from Jon Knautz (The Shrine, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer).
ClownTown (ITN Distribution) – October 4th
Clowntown tells the story of a group of friends who get...
- 10/1/2016
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Sarah Dobbs Published Date Wednesday, September 28, 2016 - 05:44
During the first ten minutes, you’d be forgiven for wondering if you’d been mis-sold Under The Shadow. Because while, yes, it is a supernatural horror movie about evil djinn, it starts out looking an awful lot like a drama about a family living in a warzone.
Shideh (Narges Rashidi) is a young mother living in 1980s Tehran, trying to hold her life together as the Iran-Iraq war destroys everything around her. Once a promising medical student, Shideh was forced out of university by Iran’s Cultural Revolution; having taken part in leftist political rallies, she’s effectively barred from finishing her degree, which leaves her little option than to stay home and look after her daughter, Dorsa (Avin Manshadi). And as if the encroaching conflict weren’t bad enough, as if it weren’t terrifying enough that her husband Iraj...
During the first ten minutes, you’d be forgiven for wondering if you’d been mis-sold Under The Shadow. Because while, yes, it is a supernatural horror movie about evil djinn, it starts out looking an awful lot like a drama about a family living in a warzone.
Shideh (Narges Rashidi) is a young mother living in 1980s Tehran, trying to hold her life together as the Iran-Iraq war destroys everything around her. Once a promising medical student, Shideh was forced out of university by Iran’s Cultural Revolution; having taken part in leftist political rallies, she’s effectively barred from finishing her degree, which leaves her little option than to stay home and look after her daughter, Dorsa (Avin Manshadi). And as if the encroaching conflict weren’t bad enough, as if it weren’t terrifying enough that her husband Iraj...
- 9/26/2016
- Den of Geek
2Nd Update (9/23, 3:23 Pdt): An earlier version of this article listed Elle Evans as the actress who plays the title role in The Love Witch. That distinction in fact goes to Samantha Robinson. We regret the error. Update (9/22, 11:37 Pm Pdt): The same day this article was published, Paramount pushed back the release date for Rings from October 28 to February 3, 2017. Original Article: Fall has traditionally been viewed as the prime time of year for the horror film, but this summer was actually a pretty good one for the genre, with movies like The Conjuring 2, Lights Out, and the surprise smash Don't Breathe doing gangbusters business in the midst of blockbuster season. But the year's not over yet! With September in full swing, there are a number of worthwhile (and, yes, questionable) titles looming on the release calendar over the next three months. Below, you can find a rundown of 12 upcoming horror films,...
- 9/23/2016
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Wait a second. Can the U.K. submit a film for consideration for the Best Foreign Language Oscar?
Sure. As long as it’s not in English. Take last year: Ireland, not Cuba, submitted Spanish-language film “Viva.” And France controversially chose the Turkish “Mustang” as its official entry over a list of top French auteurs.
If the submitting country paid for the movie and supplied key personnel, it doesn’t matter what language it’s in. The French produced “Mustang” and its director Deniz Gamze Ergüven, born in Turkey, is based in Paris. (Her next movie is English-language.) And the Irish produced “Viva,” even though director Paddy Breathnach shot with local actors in Havana.
And thus the UK’s selection organization, BAFTA, has submitted writer-director Babak Anvari’s well-reviewed Sundance mother-daughter drama “Under the Shadow” (October 7, Vertical Entertainment and Xyz Films), a 1988 Iran-Iraq War thriller shot in Farsi starring Narges Rashidi,...
Sure. As long as it’s not in English. Take last year: Ireland, not Cuba, submitted Spanish-language film “Viva.” And France controversially chose the Turkish “Mustang” as its official entry over a list of top French auteurs.
If the submitting country paid for the movie and supplied key personnel, it doesn’t matter what language it’s in. The French produced “Mustang” and its director Deniz Gamze Ergüven, born in Turkey, is based in Paris. (Her next movie is English-language.) And the Irish produced “Viva,” even though director Paddy Breathnach shot with local actors in Havana.
And thus the UK’s selection organization, BAFTA, has submitted writer-director Babak Anvari’s well-reviewed Sundance mother-daughter drama “Under the Shadow” (October 7, Vertical Entertainment and Xyz Films), a 1988 Iran-Iraq War thriller shot in Farsi starring Narges Rashidi,...
- 9/22/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Wait a second. Can the U.K. submit a film for consideration for the Best Foreign Language Oscar?
Sure. As long as it’s not in English. Take last year: Ireland, not Cuba, submitted Spanish-language film “Viva.” And France controversially chose the Turkish “Mustang” as its official entry over a list of top French auteurs.
If the submitting country paid for the movie and supplied key personnel, it doesn’t matter what language it’s in. The French produced “Mustang” and its director Deniz Gamze Ergüven, born in Turkey, is based in Paris. (Her next movie is English-language.) And the Irish produced “Viva,” even though director Paddy Breathnach shot with local actors in Havana.
And thus the UK’s selection organization, BAFTA, has submitted writer-director Babak Anvari’s well-reviewed Sundance mother-daughter drama “Under the Shadow” (October 7, Vertigo Entertainment and Xyz Films), a 1988 Iran-Iraq War thriller shot in Farsi starring Narges Rashidi,...
Sure. As long as it’s not in English. Take last year: Ireland, not Cuba, submitted Spanish-language film “Viva.” And France controversially chose the Turkish “Mustang” as its official entry over a list of top French auteurs.
If the submitting country paid for the movie and supplied key personnel, it doesn’t matter what language it’s in. The French produced “Mustang” and its director Deniz Gamze Ergüven, born in Turkey, is based in Paris. (Her next movie is English-language.) And the Irish produced “Viva,” even though director Paddy Breathnach shot with local actors in Havana.
And thus the UK’s selection organization, BAFTA, has submitted writer-director Babak Anvari’s well-reviewed Sundance mother-daughter drama “Under the Shadow” (October 7, Vertigo Entertainment and Xyz Films), a 1988 Iran-Iraq War thriller shot in Farsi starring Narges Rashidi,...
- 9/22/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
British-Iranian filmmaker Babak Anvari’s highly regarded Tehran-set ghost story produced by Wigwam Films will fly the flag for the UK as the official foreign-language Oscar contender.
Under The Shadow premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will open in the UK via Vertigo Releasing on September 23.
Xyz Films and Vertical Entertainment will distribute in the Us on October 7 and also release across global digital platforms. Netflix holds worldwide streaming rights.
Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi star in the film, which takes place in 1988 during the Iran-Iraq War as a woman and her child are tormented by a malign presence in their deserted apartment building.
Wigwam Films’ Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo produced.
Under The Shadow premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will open in the UK via Vertigo Releasing on September 23.
Xyz Films and Vertical Entertainment will distribute in the Us on October 7 and also release across global digital platforms. Netflix holds worldwide streaming rights.
Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi star in the film, which takes place in 1988 during the Iran-Iraq War as a woman and her child are tormented by a malign presence in their deserted apartment building.
Wigwam Films’ Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo produced.
- 9/21/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Iran-set horror sold by Xyz will be released theatrically by Vertigo on Sept 30.
Vertigo Releasing has picked up Babak Anvari’s Iran-set horror Under The Shadow and will release the film in the UK and Ireland on September 30.
The film premiered at Sundance in January this year, where Screen’s review called it a “distinctive spin on a familiar premise.”
Set in war-torn Tehran in the 1980s, the story follows a mother and daughter struggling to cope with a mysterious evil that haunts their home. Narges Rashidi and Avin Manshadi star.
Read: Babak Anvari talks ‘Under The Shadow’
Lucan Toh, Emily Leo and Oliver Roskill produced the horror feature for London-based Wigwam Films.
Netflix picked up the film’s streaming rights prior to the film’s Sundance premiere. Vertical Entertainment are combining with Xyz on distribution in select territories including the Us in October.
Sales outfit Xyz boarded the film in April 2015. Nate Bolotin from Xyz conducted...
Vertigo Releasing has picked up Babak Anvari’s Iran-set horror Under The Shadow and will release the film in the UK and Ireland on September 30.
The film premiered at Sundance in January this year, where Screen’s review called it a “distinctive spin on a familiar premise.”
Set in war-torn Tehran in the 1980s, the story follows a mother and daughter struggling to cope with a mysterious evil that haunts their home. Narges Rashidi and Avin Manshadi star.
Read: Babak Anvari talks ‘Under The Shadow’
Lucan Toh, Emily Leo and Oliver Roskill produced the horror feature for London-based Wigwam Films.
Netflix picked up the film’s streaming rights prior to the film’s Sundance premiere. Vertical Entertainment are combining with Xyz on distribution in select territories including the Us in October.
Sales outfit Xyz boarded the film in April 2015. Nate Bolotin from Xyz conducted...
- 8/15/2016
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Following its well-received run at Sundance early this year, Under the Shadow will be released in theaters and on VOD this October 7th from Vertical Entertainment and Xyz films. To tease its upcoming release, the Farsi-language horror film is featured in a new poster and trailer.
Synopsis: “Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her family live amid the chaos of the Iran-Iraq war, a period known as The War of the Cities. Accused of subversion by the post-Revolution government and blacklisted from medical college, she falls into a state of malaise. With Tehran under the constant threat of aerial bombardment, her husband (Bobby Naderi) is drafted and sent to the frontlines by the army, leaving Shideh all alone to protect their young daughter, Dorsa (Avin Manshadi). Soon after he leaves, a missile hits their apartment building and while failing to explode, a neighbor dies under mysterious circumstances and Dorsa’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic.
Synopsis: “Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her family live amid the chaos of the Iran-Iraq war, a period known as The War of the Cities. Accused of subversion by the post-Revolution government and blacklisted from medical college, she falls into a state of malaise. With Tehran under the constant threat of aerial bombardment, her husband (Bobby Naderi) is drafted and sent to the frontlines by the army, leaving Shideh all alone to protect their young daughter, Dorsa (Avin Manshadi). Soon after he leaves, a missile hits their apartment building and while failing to explode, a neighbor dies under mysterious circumstances and Dorsa’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic.
- 8/11/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
"There's no escape from them." Vertical Ent. has unveiled the Us trailer for a horror-thriller called Under the Shadow, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year. This outstanding ghost story is set in Tehran and stars Narges Rashidi and Avin Manshadi as mother and daughter who are haunted by a malevolent spirit after an unexploded bomb crashes into the apartment above theirs. Also features Bobby Naderi, Ray Haratian and Arash Marandi. I saw this at Sundance and loved it, writing in my review it's a "simple, sleek, well-made film that above all is efficient in telling a creepy ghost story." Don't skip this one. Here's the official Us trailer (+ poster) for Babak Anvari's Under the Shadow, originally from Yahoo: As a mother and daughter struggle to cope with the terrors of the post-revolution, war torn Tehran of the 80s, a mysterious evil begins to haunt their home.
- 8/10/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
With comparisons to The Babadook following its Sundance premiere, Babak Anvari‘s horror feature Under the Shadow is one to keep on your radar as its story is told with even more specificity. Set in Tehran, Iran circa 1988, which increases the tension as the external world comes literally crashing into the domestic space, we find something haunting the dreams of Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi). Ahead of a fall release, the first trailer has now arrived.
We said in our review, “Cinema is often a space for abstract, subconscious expressions that require airing. Under The Shadow is an inspired psychological thriller from Iranian filmmaker Babak Anvari that effectively delivers the thrills expected, and more. Here, the horror is both personal and natural. It’s a theme found amongst a few world cinema selections at Sundance this year, notably the cancer drama A Good Wife, which also...
We said in our review, “Cinema is often a space for abstract, subconscious expressions that require airing. Under The Shadow is an inspired psychological thriller from Iranian filmmaker Babak Anvari that effectively delivers the thrills expected, and more. Here, the horror is both personal and natural. It’s a theme found amongst a few world cinema selections at Sundance this year, notably the cancer drama A Good Wife, which also...
- 8/10/2016
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Earlier this year and just before its well-received run at the Sundance Film Festival, Under the Shadow was acquired by Vertical Entertainment and Xyz Films for a worldwide release on Netflix. Now Xyz Films has teamed up with Wigwam Films in a new creative partnership, and one of their first in-the-works movies is a remake of Babak Anvari’s Iranian horror film.
The news of an Under the Shadow remake comes from Deadline, who reports that an “English-language adaptation” of Anvari’s film is on the docket for Xyz and Wigwam. Should the remake move forward, Anvari himself is set to executive produce the project, and he is also developing his next film with the two companies.
While the original Under the Shadow followed a family in Tehran during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, the remake is expected to take place during the London Blitz, which would place the film in the early 1940s.
The news of an Under the Shadow remake comes from Deadline, who reports that an “English-language adaptation” of Anvari’s film is on the docket for Xyz and Wigwam. Should the remake move forward, Anvari himself is set to executive produce the project, and he is also developing his next film with the two companies.
While the original Under the Shadow followed a family in Tehran during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, the remake is expected to take place during the London Blitz, which would place the film in the early 1940s.
- 5/12/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Babak Anvari: 'I think the less you see, the scarier it is' Babak Anvari's debut feature Under The Shadow – which had its world premiere at Sundance and will screen at New York's New Directors/New Films later this month - takes place towards the end of the Iran-Iraq War. Shideh (Narges Rashidi) lives with her husband (Bobby Naderi) and their daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi) in a Tehran apartment. Already under pressure from a heavy bombing campaign, Shideh finds herself starting to doubt her sanity after her husband is called up to the frontline. Things become increasingly unsettling after her daughter's doll goes missing and Shideh begins to suspect that a malevolent djinn maybe stalking them both. I spoke to London-based filmmaker Anvari about his very personal inspiration for the film, the ease of casting and the difficulties of making a doll in a horror film look innocent.
Aw:...
Aw:...
- 3/3/2016
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Simply put, the SXSW Film, Music and Interactive Festival is one of the biggest, most prestigious events in the media calendar. Taking place annually in Austin, Texas, it is beloved by film fans and filmmakers from all over the world, and has reached such heights by building a reputation for showcasing excellent content. This results in a high level of competition, with the Narrative Feature category alone having received 1442 submissions this year, and the documentary feature category having received 1,013.
The 2016 event looks to be particularly exciting, with many world premieres and feature debuts already announced. The Narrative Feature category will include Julia Hart’s Miss Stevens, Debra Eisenstadt’s Before The Sun Explodes, Joey Klein’s The Other Half, and Musa Syeed’s A Stray, among others, while the Headliner category will feature Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some.
The Narrative Spotlight category includes 9 Rides by Matthew A. Cherry; The Waiting...
The 2016 event looks to be particularly exciting, with many world premieres and feature debuts already announced. The Narrative Feature category will include Julia Hart’s Miss Stevens, Debra Eisenstadt’s Before The Sun Explodes, Joey Klein’s The Other Half, and Musa Syeed’s A Stray, among others, while the Headliner category will feature Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some.
The Narrative Spotlight category includes 9 Rides by Matthew A. Cherry; The Waiting...
- 2/10/2016
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
The Tall Man's sphere is aiming its blades at Austin, as Bad Robot's 4K restoration of Don Coscarelli's Phantasm will screen at South by Southwest 2016 as part of the film festival's recently revealed Midnighters lineup:
From SXSW: "Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious.
Carnage Park
Director/Screenwriter: Mickey Keating
The year is 1978. A team of wannabe crooks botch a small-town bank heist and flee with their hostage deep into the California desert, where they find themselves in a harrowing fight for survival against a psychotic ex-military sniper. Cast: Ashley Bell, Pat Healy, Alan Ruck, Darby Stanchfield, Larry Fessenden, Graham Skipper, James Landry Hebert, Michael Villar
Hush
Director: Mike Flanagan, Screenwriters: Mike Flanagan, Kate Siegel
A deaf woman is stalked by a psychotic killer in her secluded home. Cast: Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan (World Premiere)
I Am a Hero...
From SXSW: "Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious.
Carnage Park
Director/Screenwriter: Mickey Keating
The year is 1978. A team of wannabe crooks botch a small-town bank heist and flee with their hostage deep into the California desert, where they find themselves in a harrowing fight for survival against a psychotic ex-military sniper. Cast: Ashley Bell, Pat Healy, Alan Ruck, Darby Stanchfield, Larry Fessenden, Graham Skipper, James Landry Hebert, Michael Villar
Hush
Director: Mike Flanagan, Screenwriters: Mike Flanagan, Kate Siegel
A deaf woman is stalked by a psychotic killer in her secluded home. Cast: Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan (World Premiere)
I Am a Hero...
- 2/9/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Vertical Entertainment and Xyz Films are partnering up to globally distribute Sundance horror breakout "Under the Shadow." The film earned raves at Sundance, and its streaming rights were picked by up Netflix before the festival even got started. The companies will coordinate a global day-and-date release on digital and VOD platforms, alongside a targeted theatrical release in select territories. Netflix will release the film worldwide shortly after the theatrical and transactional debut. Read More: Sundance Review: 'Under the Shadow' is the First Great Horror Movie of the Year A Farsi-language horror-thriller, "Under the Shadow" is written and directed by Babak Anvari and stars Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi. The film is set in Tehran in 1988 as the Iran-Iraq war rumbles into its eighth year. The bombing campaigns focused on the city, coupled with the country’s bloody revolution, slowly tear a mother and daughter apart. As they...
- 2/1/2016
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Cinema is often a space for abstract, subconscious expressions that require airing. Under The Shadow is an inspired psychological thriller from Iranian filmmaker Babak Anvari that effectively delivers the thrills expected, and more. Here, the horror is both personal and natural. It’s a theme found amongst a few world cinema selections at Sundance this year, notably the cancer drama A Good Wife, which also uses the landscape of the war torn Bosnia as an emotional theme.
Under The Shadow functions on multiple levels; as a rich horror thriller it first and foremost effectively delivers the jumps and scares and any good entry into the genre ought to. The specter of the film’s setting, Tehran, Iran circa 1988, increases the tension as the external world comes literally crashing into the domestic space, haunting the dreams of Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi). The physical world is also...
Under The Shadow functions on multiple levels; as a rich horror thriller it first and foremost effectively delivers the jumps and scares and any good entry into the genre ought to. The specter of the film’s setting, Tehran, Iran circa 1988, increases the tension as the external world comes literally crashing into the domestic space, haunting the dreams of Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi). The physical world is also...
- 2/1/2016
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Set in Tehran during the Iran-Iraq conflict of the 1980s, Under the Shadow is a fiercely compelling tale of a mother who will stop at nothing to keep her daughter safe against forces even more deadly than any war could ever unleash. Up-and-coming director Babak Anvari confidently tackles the horrors of parental turmoil (as well as examining the suppression of women in the Middle East) all while crafting a flawlessly haunting portrait of supernatural terror.
Under the Shadow follows Shideh (Narges Rashidi), a young woman who wants nothing more than to continue her studies as a doctor. Her aspirations have been sidelined, though, with the university refusing to reinstate her as a student due to her involvement with politically-charged activities some years back. With a building resentment for the institutions that keep her shackled to her home life, Shideh begins to resent her own husband, Iraj (Bobby Naderi), a successful...
Under the Shadow follows Shideh (Narges Rashidi), a young woman who wants nothing more than to continue her studies as a doctor. Her aspirations have been sidelined, though, with the university refusing to reinstate her as a student due to her involvement with politically-charged activities some years back. With a building resentment for the institutions that keep her shackled to her home life, Shideh begins to resent her own husband, Iraj (Bobby Naderi), a successful...
- 1/30/2016
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
One of the best horror films I’ve seen in some time is Babak Anvari’s Under the Shadow, which follows a mother (Narges Rashidi) and daughter (Avin Manshadi) who must fight against forces of evil who have invaded their home, all during the Iran/Iraq war of the 1980s.
Daily Dead had the opportunity to speak with Anvari during the 2016 Sundance Film Festival about his feature film debut and heard more about how his own personal fears inspired the story of Under the Shadow, finding his incredible cast, shooting the project in Jordan, and what he’d like to do next.
Fantastic job on the movie, Babak. I'd love to hear a little bit about where this story originated from, in terms of placing it within the timeframe that you did. I thought that the context of the Iran/Iraq conflict completely elevated this story in terms of fear and tension.
Daily Dead had the opportunity to speak with Anvari during the 2016 Sundance Film Festival about his feature film debut and heard more about how his own personal fears inspired the story of Under the Shadow, finding his incredible cast, shooting the project in Jordan, and what he’d like to do next.
Fantastic job on the movie, Babak. I'd love to hear a little bit about where this story originated from, in terms of placing it within the timeframe that you did. I thought that the context of the Iran/Iraq conflict completely elevated this story in terms of fear and tension.
- 1/26/2016
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Follow all of our Sundance 2016 coverage. It’s not uncommon for horror films to feature subtext amid the terror, but that commentary is typically a side note to the prevailing carnage and scares. Sometimes though that subtext moves beyond its constraints to become the true weight of the nightmare before us. Films like the recent It Follows and The Babadook succeed as pure genre exercises complete with spooky thrills, but their power rests in the fear of an uncertain future or the devastating effect of grief — thoughts that move off screen to follow audiences home into the real world. Writer/director Babak Anvari‘s feature debut, Under the Shadow, belongs in their company and in that conversation. Shideh (Narges Rashidi) left medical school during Iran’s Cultural Revolution to protest and work for a better country, but five years later she’s still paying the price. The university tells her in no uncertain terms that her history...
- 1/26/2016
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Vertical Entertainment and Xyz Films have partnered for global distribution on the Midnight selection and Farsi-language horror thriller.
The partners will coordinate a global day-and-date release on digital and VOD platforms, alongside a targeted theatrical release in select territories.
It has emerged that Netflix will release the film worldwide shortly after the theatrical and transactional debut. The release date is still to be announced.
British-Iranian filmmamer Babak Anvari wrote and directed Under The Shadow, about a home haunted by a malevolent djinn spirit. The Midnight entry next screens in Park City on Thursday.
Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi star in the story, set in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq War.
Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo of Wigwam Films produced.
The partners will coordinate a global day-and-date release on digital and VOD platforms, alongside a targeted theatrical release in select territories.
It has emerged that Netflix will release the film worldwide shortly after the theatrical and transactional debut. The release date is still to be announced.
British-Iranian filmmamer Babak Anvari wrote and directed Under The Shadow, about a home haunted by a malevolent djinn spirit. The Midnight entry next screens in Park City on Thursday.
Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi star in the story, set in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq War.
Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo of Wigwam Films produced.
- 1/24/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Vertical Entertainment and Xyz Films have partnered for global distribution on Sundance Midnight selection and Farsi-language horror thriller.
The partners will coordinate a global day-and-date release on digital and VOD platforms, alongside a targeted theatrical release in select territories.
It has emerged that Netflix will release the film worldwide shortly after the theatrical and transactional debut. The release date is still to be announced.
British-Iranian filmmamer Babak Anvari wrote and directed Under The Shadow, about a home haunted by a malevolent djinn spirit. The Midnight entry next screens in Park City on Thursday.
Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi star in the story, set in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq War.
Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo of Wigwam Films produced.
The partners will coordinate a global day-and-date release on digital and VOD platforms, alongside a targeted theatrical release in select territories.
It has emerged that Netflix will release the film worldwide shortly after the theatrical and transactional debut. The release date is still to be announced.
British-Iranian filmmamer Babak Anvari wrote and directed Under The Shadow, about a home haunted by a malevolent djinn spirit. The Midnight entry next screens in Park City on Thursday.
Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi star in the story, set in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq War.
Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo of Wigwam Films produced.
- 1/24/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
It sounds like we already have our first great horror movie of 2016. Following its much talked about screenings at Sundance, the Farsi-language horror movie Under The Shadow is set for a worldwide release, thanks to Vertical Entertainment, Netflix, and Xyz Films:
Los Angeles, CA (January 23, 2016) – Vertical Entertainment and Xyz Films have partnered for global distribution of the Farsi-language horror thriller Under The Shadow, which will have its world premiere at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. The companies will coordinate a global day-and-date release on digital and VOD platforms, alongside a targeted theatrical release in select territories. Netflix will release the film worldwide shortly after the theatrical and transactional debut. The release date is still to be announced.
Under The Shadow is written and directed by British / Iranian Babak Anvari and stars Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi. The film is produced by Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo of Wigwam Films.
Los Angeles, CA (January 23, 2016) – Vertical Entertainment and Xyz Films have partnered for global distribution of the Farsi-language horror thriller Under The Shadow, which will have its world premiere at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. The companies will coordinate a global day-and-date release on digital and VOD platforms, alongside a targeted theatrical release in select territories. Netflix will release the film worldwide shortly after the theatrical and transactional debut. The release date is still to be announced.
Under The Shadow is written and directed by British / Iranian Babak Anvari and stars Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi and Bobby Naderi. The film is produced by Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo of Wigwam Films.
- 1/23/2016
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Netflix has picked up the streaming rights to Iranian horror film “Under the Shadow,” which will premiere Friday night at the Sundance Film Festival. The film written and directed by Babak Anvari is set in Iran in 1988 during the Iran-Iraq War, and follows Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi) as they start to believe their home is haunted by “djinn,” an evil spirit. Lucan Toh, Oliver Roskill and Emily Leo of Wigwam Films produced the foreign film with dialogue spoken entirely in Farsi. Also Read: Sundance 2016 Preview: Gun Violence, TV Party-Crashers and Young Obamas in Love “Under the.
- 1/21/2016
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
UK horror photography studio, Horrify Me, has created a photo tribute to George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead, and we have a look at it below. Also: trailer for Intruders, two clips from Anguish, a new clip from Under the Shadows, and details on the Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival 2016 lineup.
Dawn of the Dead Tribute: Press Release: "UK horror photography studio Horrify Me has created a brand new set of images to pay tribute to one of the greatest zombie flicks of all time, the original 1978 version of Dawn of the Dead. Directed by George A. Romero and with groundbreaking gore effects by Tom Savini, the film has passed effortlessly into a classic status and has a rich following today, despite its age.
Horrify Me, one of the UK's leading horror photography studios, spends a lot of time creating horrific portraits for people, and in between jobs,...
Dawn of the Dead Tribute: Press Release: "UK horror photography studio Horrify Me has created a brand new set of images to pay tribute to one of the greatest zombie flicks of all time, the original 1978 version of Dawn of the Dead. Directed by George A. Romero and with groundbreaking gore effects by Tom Savini, the film has passed effortlessly into a classic status and has a rich following today, despite its age.
Horrify Me, one of the UK's leading horror photography studios, spends a lot of time creating horrific portraits for people, and in between jobs,...
- 12/17/2015
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Kate Plays ChristineThe lineup for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, taking place between January 21 -31, has been announced.U.S. Dramatic COMPETITIONAs You Are (Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, USA): As You Are is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation. Cast: Owen Campbell, Charlie Heaton, Amandla Stenberg, John Scurti, Scott Cohen, Mary Stuart Masterson. World Premiere The Birth of a Nation (Nate Parker, USA): Set against the antebellum South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom. Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. World PremiereChristine (Antonio Campos,...
- 12/7/2015
- by Notebook
- MUBI
The Sundance Film institute has released the line-up of film for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Going to Sundance is one of my favorite events of the year. I love going because you never know what kind of movies you're going to see. Sometimes they are great films that amaze and entertain, other times they completely suck ass, but that's all part of the fun of going to the festival. It's an awesome experience for any hardcore movie geek, and if you ever get a chance to go, you need to.
The event takes place in Park City, Utah next year from January 21st to the 31st. It looks like there's a great line-up of movies at next year's event. My favorite portion of the event is the Midnight section because it deals more with geeky genre type movies, but I also enjoy the various sections of other line-ups.
Some of...
The event takes place in Park City, Utah next year from January 21st to the 31st. It looks like there's a great line-up of movies at next year's event. My favorite portion of the event is the Midnight section because it deals more with geeky genre type movies, but I also enjoy the various sections of other line-ups.
Some of...
- 12/6/2015
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
As we near the end of the calendar year, there is still plenty to look forward to in cinema – and not just the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December. Yes, as we barrel down on the industry’s undisputed purple patch, our local theaters will soon become brimming with awards contenders each out to stake a claim for that coveted Oscar trophy.
Much like previous years, the Academy’s presentation will take place in February, and it’ll be preceded by the Sundance Film Festival one month prior. Returning for its 32nd year on the festival circuit, the Midnight selection has been formally revealed, confirming such entires as Rob Zombie’s horror 31 along with the Kevin Smith-directed college flick, Yoga Hosers.
Blending irreverent comedies with impassioned horror films, the Midnight slate of Sundance 2016 is once again jam-packed with notable release, and let’s not forget...
Much like previous years, the Academy’s presentation will take place in February, and it’ll be preceded by the Sundance Film Festival one month prior. Returning for its 32nd year on the festival circuit, the Midnight selection has been formally revealed, confirming such entires as Rob Zombie’s horror 31 along with the Kevin Smith-directed college flick, Yoga Hosers.
Blending irreverent comedies with impassioned horror films, the Midnight slate of Sundance 2016 is once again jam-packed with notable release, and let’s not forget...
- 11/23/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
This January, Sundance Film Festival attendees will have the chance to witness the mania of Murder World, as the festival announced today that Rob Zombie's Halloween-set horror film 31 will be part of its special Midnight section, along with Kevin Smith's Yoga Hosers, The Greasy Strangler, and more.
To celebrate the Sundance screening announcement, a new image from 31 has been released, along with a video of Rob Zombie's on-the-go reaction to the news. For more details, we have the official press release:
Press Release: Park City, Ut — Adrenaline junkies and genre film-lovers know the real fun at the Sundance Film Festival starts at midnight. Sundance Institute tonight offers a first look at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival by announcing the nine feature films that will screen in its iconic Midnight section, which has launched films including The Blair Witch Project, Saw, Super Troopers, The Babadook, Black Dynamite, What We Do In The Shadows,...
To celebrate the Sundance screening announcement, a new image from 31 has been released, along with a video of Rob Zombie's on-the-go reaction to the news. For more details, we have the official press release:
Press Release: Park City, Ut — Adrenaline junkies and genre film-lovers know the real fun at the Sundance Film Festival starts at midnight. Sundance Institute tonight offers a first look at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival by announcing the nine feature films that will screen in its iconic Midnight section, which has launched films including The Blair Witch Project, Saw, Super Troopers, The Babadook, Black Dynamite, What We Do In The Shadows,...
- 11/23/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
A change of pace for Sundance Film Festival, before we get their competition films (and much more), they’ve first unveiled their midnight line-up for 2016. Among the notable titles are the latest films from Rob Zombie and Kevin Smith, 31 and Yoga Hosers, respectively. However, what keeps me coming back to Park City are the surprises, so there’s also a handful of features from relatively unknown directors that have caught our eye, including Carnage Park and Under the Shadow. Check out the line-up below, along with debut images, and return for our coverage in around two months.
31 / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rob Zombie) — Five friends are kidnapped on the day before Halloween and are held hostage in a terrifying place named Murder World. While trapped, they must play a violent game called 31, in which the mission is to survive 12 hours against a gang of evil clowns. Cast: Sheri Moon Zombie,...
31 / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rob Zombie) — Five friends are kidnapped on the day before Halloween and are held hostage in a terrifying place named Murder World. While trapped, they must play a violent game called 31, in which the mission is to survive 12 hours against a gang of evil clowns. Cast: Sheri Moon Zombie,...
- 11/23/2015
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
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