M. Tanabandeh and H. Seyyedi acknowledges receiving the Orizzonti Award for Best Actor and Best Film for “World War III”

Shakib’s job is thankless. At night, he sleeps in the production set’s gas chamber. When it rains, the ceiling leaks and Shakib can barely sleep. Shakib complains to Hasan (Louyi Seyfi), the production assistant, about the leaky ceiling but nothing gets done. In an odd twist of fate, however, one day the actor who plays Hitler suddenly collapses from a heart attack. Before Shakib knows it, he is enlisted to audition for the role of Hitler, gets chosen for the role, and upgrades to the Red House where Hasan had been staying. Showing off to Ladan (Mahsa Hejazi), a sex worker he has befriended, all of the extravagant décor and furnishings of the Red House, he confides to her that he is now living in the mansion and no longer needs to do manual labor. When Ladan finds herself in dire circumstances, as it appears that her employer, Farshid, is trying to overwork her by drugging her with a syringe, she asks Ladan if she could stay with him for a few days. Shakib agrees, even though visitors are not allowed to stay with him overnight.

September 10, 2022 | 6:29 pm