31/07/2023 - Ali Ahmadzadeh's film follows a man who, while wandering through the underworld of Tehran, still manages to find the seed of resistance

Amir leads a lonely life. With only his dog for company, he drives through the underworld of Tehran, dealing drugs of all kinds and healing troubled souls like a modern prophet. He navigates the city streets aimlessly, following the directions of his GPS while getting high to escape a town with no future. And yet, in his wandering, he will find the seed of resistance.

This is the synopsis of Critical Zone [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], written and directed by Ali Ahmadzadeh, which is due to screen in competition at the impending Locarno Film Festival (2-12 August). It is an Iranian-German co-production staged by Counter Intuitive Film, and its international sales are handled by French company Luxbox.

According to Ahmadzadeh, "My films are mostly about the new generation and their life here in Iran, a life that is by its nature in constant conflict with the political power and the system. The regime doesn't want our real pictures to be shown and seen because they want to present the image of a traditional religious islamic state to the outside world. In my new film, I depict everything in the most naked and radical way. I wanted to show that the city is like a big mental institution so sometimes we had to hide the camera. This suspense during production gave the cast and crew a strong feeling of being rebel fighters and I got the most out of the adrenaline in our blood."

Check out our exclusive poster and clips of Critical Zone below: