Immortal (2015)

Young Ebrahim lives with his grandfather Ayaz, a guilt-ridden old man, who suffers unbearably following the loss of his family in an accident. His remorse is not without reason; Ayaz was driving the bus on the way back home from a relative's wedding ceremony that fateful day when he veered into the ravine. The tragic accident impels Ayaz to kill himself, which makes Ebrahim think he is possessed. To help, Ebrahim burns the debris of the bus and performs a ritual to rid Ayaz of any evil spirits, but all of it is for naught. Ayaz's life is insufferable, and this film shows how his constant attempts at suicide slowly destroy him. At times, the film takes its distance from Ayaz, such as when we see shots of the vast wilderness or a valley in an extreme long shot. Here, Ayaz appears as if no one but he can endure the agony. It is hard to find a film such as this one that is so thoroughly able to deliver to the audience the pain of a being human.

Hadi MohagheghDirector