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Sheytan vojud nadarad

There Is No Evil | Es gibt kein Böses
Competition 2020
© Cosmopol Film
Heshmat, an exemplary husband and father, gets up very early every day. Where does he go? Pouya cannot imagine killing another man, yet he is told he must do so. Javad doesn’t know that proposing to his beloved won’t be the only surprise on her birthday. Bahram is a physician but is unable to practice medicine. He has decided to explain to his visiting niece the reason for his life as an outcast. The four stories that comprise Sheytan vojud nadarad (There Is No Evil) offer variations on the crucial themes of moral strength and the death penalty, asking to what extent individual freedom can be expressed under a despotic regime and its seemingly inescapable threats. Mohammad Rasoulof only creates a loose narrative link between these stories, and yet they are all tragically and inexorably connected. In the context of structural oppression, choice seems to be limited to either resisting or surviving. But with each abruptly interrupted story, we are urged to consider how men and women can assert their freedom even in such situations.
by Mohammad Rasoulof
with Ehsan Mirhosseini, Shaghayegh Shourian, Kaveh Ahangar, Alireza Zareparast, Salar Khamseh, Darya Moghbeli, Mahtab Servati, Mohammad Valizadegan, Mohammad Seddighimehr, Jila Shahi, Baran Rasoulof Germany / Czechia / Iran 2020 Farsi 150’ Colour World premiere

With

  • Ehsan Mirhosseini (Heshmat)
  • Shaghayegh Shourian (Razieh)
  • Kaveh Ahangar (Pouya)
  • Alireza Zareparast (Hasan)
  • Salar Khamseh (Salar)
  • Darya Moghbeli (Tahmineh)
  • Mahtab Servati (Nana)
  • Mohammad Valizadegan (Javad)
  • Mohammad Seddighimehr (Bahram)
  • Jila Shahi (Zaman)
  • Baran Rasoulof (Darya)

Crew

Written and Directed by Mohammad Rasoulof
Cinematography Ashkan Ashkani
Editing Mohammadreza Muini, Meysam Muini
Music Amir Molookpour
Sound Design Philipp Kemptner, Hasan Mahdavi
Sound Hasan Shabankareh
Production Design Saeed Asadi
Costumes Afsaneh Sarfejo
Make-Up Mahmoud Dehghani
Assistant Directors Samrand Maroofi, Meysam Muini
Production Managers Ali Hemmati, Maryam Yavari
Producers Mohammad Rasoulof, Kaveh Farnam, Farzad Pak
Executive Producer Farzad Pak

World sales

Films Boutique

http://www.filmsboutique.com http://www.filmsboutique.com

Produced by

Cosmopol Film

Europe Media Nest

https://medianest.net https://medianest.net

Filminiran

http://www.filminiran.com http://www.filminiran.com

Photos

Berlinale Meets | Interview

Press Conference

Red Carpet

Mohammad Rasoulof

© Cosmopol Film

Born in Shiraz, Iran in 1972, he began directing documentaries and short films while studying sociology. After his second film, Iron Island, opportunities for him to make and screen his work grew increasingly restricted. All seven of his feature films have fallen victim to the censor in Iran. In 2010, he was arrested on set while working alongside Jafar Panahi and sentenced to a year in prison. He has won numerous international awards for his work including several prizes in Un Certain Regard at Cannes. Since 2017, he has been officially barred from leaving Iran.

Filmography

2002 Gagooman (The Twilight); Documentary 2005 Jazireh ahani (Iron Island) 2008 Bade dabur (Head Wind (The Dish)); Documentary 2009 Keshtzarhay e sepid (The White Meadows) 2013 Dastneveshtehaa nemisoozand (Manuscripts Don't Burn) 2017 Lerd (Man of Integrity) 2020 Sheytan vojud nadarad (There Is No Evil)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020