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Critical Zone
Critical Zone (Persian: منطقه بحرانی, romanized: Mantagheye bohrani, German: Kritische Zone) is a 2023 drama film written and directed by Ali Ahmadzadeh. It is an Iranian and German co-production, and was shot in secret without permission from Iranian authorities.
Using a cast of non-professional actors, the film follows a drug dealer navigating Tehran's underworld over the course of a night.
The film won the Golden Leopard at the 76th Locarno Film Festival. Ahmadzadeh was pressured by Iranian authorities to not screen his film at the festival, and was unable to attend the premiere after being prohibited from leaving Iran.
In present-day Tehran, Amir earns his living as a drug dealer. He lives alone in an apartment with his affectionate bulldog Mr. Fred. After returning home from the tunnel system of the city's ring roads with a bag containing, among other things, marijuana, hashish and opium, he sorts the drugs and bakes two trays full of hash cookies. He then gets into his car and meets his customers, to whom he provides relief "like a modern prophet." He is guided through the nighttime city by the female voice of his GPS navigation system, which also warns Amir about roadblocks, speed traps and other dangers. In addition to seemingly lost young men on the side of the road, his customers also include a young yoga teacher for children and an old palliative care patient in a hospital, whom he and a nurse feed the hash cookies to. Amir also supplies a few prostitutes, including a trans man, with drugs for free, while he helps a widow save her son from the throes of addiction by prescribing him a mixture of pills and opium tea. He receives drugs and beer from an Iranian flight attendant coming from Amsterdam in exchange for opium. Amir and the stewardess snort cocaine together and become intimate. Meanwhile, the pair are pursued by unnamed assailants and a car chase ensues.
Critical Zone is the fourth feature film by Iranian director, screenwriter, producer and editor Ali Ahmadzadeh. In a director's note to the Locarno Film Festival, he explained that he "worked with real people" instead of professional actors. The film was shot on location on the streets of Tehran. It was shot in secret without the normally required permission from Iranian authorities. According to Ahmadzadeh, the film crew "had to hide the camera or find complicated tricks to work around the limitations" of shooting in secrecy. He described the creation process as a "big rebellion", and that showing the film to others would mean an "even bigger victory for us". Three easily hidden mini cameras were said to have been used.
Sina Ataeian Dena, a Berlin-based producer who lives in exile, produced Critical Zone along with Ahmadzadeh. The film was edited by Ahmadzadeh himself. Abbas Rahimi served as director of photography and Milad Movahedi contributed the film score.
It was reported on 10 May 2023 that Paris-based Luxbox acquired the international sales rights to the film and would present it at the Marché du Film in Cannes. On 5 July 2023, Critical Zone was announced as a selection for the Concorso internazionale (international competition) at the 76th Locarno Film Festival. Two days later, Ali Ahmadzadeh was interrogated by the Ministry of Security and accused of shooting a pornographic film. He was pressured by the Iranian authorities to withdraw the film from the Locarno competition and was not allowed to travel to the festival. As a result of the film being shot without government permission, his visa to leave the country was revoked. According to his co-producer Sina Ataeian Dena, Ahmadzadeh has come under investigation by the security ministry and is under constant surveillance by an interrogator who monitors his text messages. He additionally receives threatening messages from anonymous sources. Luxbox and Ataeian Dena similarly reported receiving threatening messages demanding that the film not be shown. According to Ataeian Dena, Ahmadzadeh has resisted the attempts to pressure him and even refused to appear for questioning. Ataeian Dena said, "He doesn't believe in the censorship rules, he stands up for freedom of speech and art. Like many others, he has given up his fear and is part of the protest movement". In addition, Ahmadzadeh is said to have been banned from working for a long time.
The Locarno Film Festival, under artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro, unsuccessfully called on the Iranian government to immediately release Ahmadzadeh. Ataeian Dena expressed fear that the filmmaker could be arrested after the festival. The film had its world premiere at Locarno on 10 August 2023.
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Critical Zone
Critical Zone (Persian: منطقه بحرانی, romanized: Mantagheye bohrani, German: Kritische Zone) is a 2023 drama film written and directed by Ali Ahmadzadeh. It is an Iranian and German co-production, and was shot in secret without permission from Iranian authorities.
Using a cast of non-professional actors, the film follows a drug dealer navigating Tehran's underworld over the course of a night.
The film won the Golden Leopard at the 76th Locarno Film Festival. Ahmadzadeh was pressured by Iranian authorities to not screen his film at the festival, and was unable to attend the premiere after being prohibited from leaving Iran.
In present-day Tehran, Amir earns his living as a drug dealer. He lives alone in an apartment with his affectionate bulldog Mr. Fred. After returning home from the tunnel system of the city's ring roads with a bag containing, among other things, marijuana, hashish and opium, he sorts the drugs and bakes two trays full of hash cookies. He then gets into his car and meets his customers, to whom he provides relief "like a modern prophet." He is guided through the nighttime city by the female voice of his GPS navigation system, which also warns Amir about roadblocks, speed traps and other dangers. In addition to seemingly lost young men on the side of the road, his customers also include a young yoga teacher for children and an old palliative care patient in a hospital, whom he and a nurse feed the hash cookies to. Amir also supplies a few prostitutes, including a trans man, with drugs for free, while he helps a widow save her son from the throes of addiction by prescribing him a mixture of pills and opium tea. He receives drugs and beer from an Iranian flight attendant coming from Amsterdam in exchange for opium. Amir and the stewardess snort cocaine together and become intimate. Meanwhile, the pair are pursued by unnamed assailants and a car chase ensues.
Critical Zone is the fourth feature film by Iranian director, screenwriter, producer and editor Ali Ahmadzadeh. In a director's note to the Locarno Film Festival, he explained that he "worked with real people" instead of professional actors. The film was shot on location on the streets of Tehran. It was shot in secret without the normally required permission from Iranian authorities. According to Ahmadzadeh, the film crew "had to hide the camera or find complicated tricks to work around the limitations" of shooting in secrecy. He described the creation process as a "big rebellion", and that showing the film to others would mean an "even bigger victory for us". Three easily hidden mini cameras were said to have been used.
Sina Ataeian Dena, a Berlin-based producer who lives in exile, produced Critical Zone along with Ahmadzadeh. The film was edited by Ahmadzadeh himself. Abbas Rahimi served as director of photography and Milad Movahedi contributed the film score.
It was reported on 10 May 2023 that Paris-based Luxbox acquired the international sales rights to the film and would present it at the Marché du Film in Cannes. On 5 July 2023, Critical Zone was announced as a selection for the Concorso internazionale (international competition) at the 76th Locarno Film Festival. Two days later, Ali Ahmadzadeh was interrogated by the Ministry of Security and accused of shooting a pornographic film. He was pressured by the Iranian authorities to withdraw the film from the Locarno competition and was not allowed to travel to the festival. As a result of the film being shot without government permission, his visa to leave the country was revoked. According to his co-producer Sina Ataeian Dena, Ahmadzadeh has come under investigation by the security ministry and is under constant surveillance by an interrogator who monitors his text messages. He additionally receives threatening messages from anonymous sources. Luxbox and Ataeian Dena similarly reported receiving threatening messages demanding that the film not be shown. According to Ataeian Dena, Ahmadzadeh has resisted the attempts to pressure him and even refused to appear for questioning. Ataeian Dena said, "He doesn't believe in the censorship rules, he stands up for freedom of speech and art. Like many others, he has given up his fear and is part of the protest movement". In addition, Ahmadzadeh is said to have been banned from working for a long time.
The Locarno Film Festival, under artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro, unsuccessfully called on the Iranian government to immediately release Ahmadzadeh. Ataeian Dena expressed fear that the filmmaker could be arrested after the festival. The film had its world premiere at Locarno on 10 August 2023.