Critical Zone

Ali Ahmadzadeh

DISTRIBUTION

drama

Amir leads a solitary life. He stays indoors all day in his run-down little apartment with his dog, Mr. Fred. He doesn’t do much besides sleep and prepare goods for sale. When daylight gives way to darkness, he comes alive. During the endless nights, he drives through the streets of Tehran in his car to sell drugs. The voice of his GPS, like a faithful traveling companion, guides him along the way.

Amir is a bit of an outcast; he looks sloppy, has few to no social connections, and spends his nights selling drugs in every corner of Tehran. His character seems to embody the hopelessness of life in the big city, and the troubled souls he encounters along the way all contribute to this in their own way.

During an endless night, Amir drives around in his car, guided by the female voice of his GPS. His route takes him through dark alleys, as well as through busy tunnels, to the airport parking lot, and even to a nursing home. Like a modern prophet, Amir tries to take care of the city’s lonely souls.

“Critical Zone” is one long, nocturnal bad trip of a man who has lost his life (and purpose) to drugs. The film was made under difficult circumstances, yet the cinematography is quite unique in terms of style and aesthetics. Director Ali Ahmadzadeh dares to experiment and has clearly poured his heart and soul into this project. Meanwhile, he himself also faced the intolerance of the Iranian authorities: in August 2022, he was arrested. The reason is unclear, though it is suspected that making this film might well be the cause.

direction: Ali Ahmadzadeh
duration: 99 min
year: 2023
country: Iran (Islamic Republic of)
language: Persian
Subtitles: Dutch

Zoom in

Aesthetically, ‘Critical Zone’ is very much a trip to sit through as well, with dreamy, red-filtered night visuals, and moments of brooding, lyrical ecstasy.

The Hollywood Reporter