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Holy Spider ()


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A journalist descends into the dark underbelly of the Iranian holy city of Mashhad as she investigates the serial killings of sex workers by the so called "Spider Killer", who believes he is cleansing the streets of sinners.

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Cast

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...
Arezoo Rahimi
Diana Al Hussen ...
Somayeh's Daughter
Soraya Helli ...
Zari Khanum
Mehdi Bajestani ...
Saeed
Alice Rahimi ...
Somayeh
Hazem Elian ...
Taxi Driver
Arash Ashtiani ...
Sharifi
Sohaib Qista ...
Gholam
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Fatima
Maryam Taleb ...
Khadijeh
Salma Alabed ...
Zahra
Sina Parvaneh ...
Rostami
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Soghra
Mesbah Taleb ...
Ali
Marie-Jo Khojandi ...
Old Prostitute
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Judge
Haidar Qaraeen ...
Old Man at Bakery 1 (as Haidar Qara'een)
Jawdat Saleh ...
Old Man at Bakery 2
Firouz Agheli ...
Haji
Jeries Al Nahas ...
Sandwich Shop Owner
Yazeed Manaseer ...
Man on Motorcycle
Serwan Karim ...
Police Officer 1
Mohammad Khasawneh ...
Police Officer 2
Hussam Al Mohisen ...
Forensic Expert
Foad Hameed ...
Farmer
Dilarom Khushvakhtovna ...
Older Lady
Omar Alashoush ...
Boy in Shanty Town
Hamid Djavadan ...
Agha Rasul (as Hamid Javdan)
Sara Fazilat ...
Zinab
Anwar Kethia ...
Kiosk Owner
Vali Jokar ...
Agha Jan
Zaha'a Nessan ...
Officer 1
Amir Habeeb ...
Officer 2
Mohammad Aljbore ...
Grocery Shop Owner
Lyandro 'Lulu' Gethya ...
Customer
Mohammad Rateb ...
Thin Man
Ahmad Reyhaneh ...
Somayeh's Father
Rokhshana Breshna Bahar ...
Somayeh's Mother
M. Ali Nazarian ...
Lawyer (as Ali Nazarian)
Sima Seyed ...
Saeed's Mother
Farhad Faghih Habibi ...
Prosecutor
Baboka Zaki ...
Soldier
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Photographer
Wael Baghdadi ...
Photographer
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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Witness (uncredited)
Mahdi Jahangir ...
Receptionist (uncredited)

Directed by

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Ali Abbasi

Written by

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Ali Abbasi ... (written by) &
Afshin Kamran Bahrami ... (written by)
 
Jonas Wagner ... (story supervisor)

Produced by

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Ali Abbasi ... producer
Zar Amir Ebrahimi ... associate producer
Johnny Andersen ... line producer: Development
Aseel Abu Ayyash ... Assistant Line Producer
Alexander Bohr ... associate producer: ZDF/ARTE
Sol Bondy ... producer
Rémi Burah ... co-producer: ARTE France Cinéma
Fred Burle ... co-producer: One Two Films
Pascal Caucheteux ... co-producer: Why Not Productions
Birsin Colakoglu ... line producer: pre-production
Urte Amelie Fink ... line producer
Nina Helveg ... junior producer
Barbara Häbe ... associate producer: ARTE
Jacob Jarek ... producer
Christina Jæger ... post producer
Christoph Lange ... executive producer: One Two Films
Vincent Maraval ... co-producer: Wild Bunch
Calle Marthin ... co-producer: Nordisk Film Production Sweden
Ditte Milsted ... executive producer: Profile Pictures
Rula Nasser ... line producer / line producer: Jordan
Peter Possne ... co-producer: Film i Väst
Olivier Père ... co-producer: ARTE France Cinéma
Daniela Ramin ... line producer: One Two Films
Mathias Schwerbrock ... Lineproducer in prep
Grégoire Sorlat ... co-producer: Why Not Productions
Holger Stern ... associate producer: ZDF/ARTE
Eva Åkergren ... co-producer: Nordisk Film Production Sweden

Music by

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Martin Dirkov

Cinematography by

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Nadim Carlsen ... director of photography

Editing by

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Olivia Neergaard-Holm
Hayedeh Safiyari

Editorial Department

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Paul Andexel ... Project Manager: Rotor Film
Daniel Brinck ... editing assistant
Martin Frühmorgen ... managing director: Rotor Film
Sky Helwig ... dcp quality assurance
Benjamin Herb ... on-line editor
Sebastian Hermann ... Mastering/DCP Engineer
Clemens Kindermann ... online editor
Signe Staugaard Koch ... Assistent Post Coordination DK
Holger Lehmann ... managing director: Rotor Film
Petra Lisson ... colorist
Maurits Malschaert ... trailer editor
Lucian 'Toro' Mannucci Hirsch ... editing assistant (as Luciana Manucci)
Thor Ochsner ... Additional Editor / additional editor
Rostam Persson ... editing assistant
Franziska Rausch ... post-production coordinator
Molly Malene Stensgaard ... editing consultant
Hakan Strandhag ... Project Manager: Edisen
Anna-Sophie Voll ... Online Titles
Niklaas Warda ... Project Manager: Rotor Film
Sanne Öberg ... Editing Assistant: Edisen

Casting By

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Zar Amir Ebrahimi

Production Design by

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Lina Nordqvist

Art Direction by

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Anas Balawi

Costume Design by

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Hanadi Khurma

Makeup Department

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Morten Jacobsen ... special makeup effects artist
Farah Jadaane ... makeup department head
Hamza Kachkache ... hair stylist
Noureddin Meqbel ... make up daily (as Noureddine Meqbel)
Jeries Al Nahas ... barber
Hamzeh Qashaqesh ... hair stylist
Mohammad Rasheed ... makeup artist
Siwar Saub ... assistant makeup artist
Aseel Yasin ... make-up intern

Production Management

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Raya Aburub ... production manager
Lina AlHaj ... Travel Coordinator / production coordinator
Bunyamin Babaoglu ... production manager: Turkish Pre-Production Crew
Sadik Ekinci ... head of production: Turkish Pre-Production Crew
Boris Mang ... post production producer
Jan Meyerdierks ... production manager: ensemble recordings
Anne-Lise Pollakowsky ... junior post-production manager
Andreas Schellenberg ... post-production supervisor
Tareq Shuqom ... assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Tarik Afifi ... first assistant director
Farah Al-Majali ... third assistant director
Azza Hourani ... second assistant director
Ahmad Khomakho ... third assistant director

Art Department

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Sune Elskær ... storyboard artist
Ibrahim Gaisi ... set dresser
Abdol Hamid ... assistant props
Mahmoud Hamzawi ... swing gang
Mahdi Jahangir ... graphic designer
Yousef Mahasneh ... scenic artist
Amir Nasif ... Picture Vehicles Coordinator
Jamal Odeh ... property master
Hameed Pahang ... props assistant
Muhannad Qasim ... Assistant scenic artist
Taha Radaydeh ... set dresser
Abdullah Rahhal ... art buyer/dresser
John Rang-Schmidt ... Production designer assistant
Danni Riddertoft ... Moodboard: development / poster artwork
Hisham Tayem ... swing gang
Martin Uppman ... Sketch Artist

Sound Department

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Gregor Bonse ... re-recording mixer
Martin Dirkov ... composer
Peyman Ghalambor ... boom operator: ensemble
Patrick Ghislain ... foley mixer
Georg Hackenberg ... production sound
Kai Hoffmann ... assistant dialog editor
Moritz Hoffmeister ... additional foley editor
Payam Hosseinian ... adr editor
Ben King ... QC Audio
Jan Meyerdierks ... adr mixer / foley mixer: additional foleys
Julien Naudin ... foley artist
Thomas Neumann ... additional sound design
Mikkel Nielsen ... sound effects editor
Peter Niemeyer ... boom operator
Kasper Rasmussen ... sound effects editor
Rune Sand ... sound effects editor
Peter Sandmann ... additional foley artist
Immo Trümpelmann ... additional dialog editor
Ferdinand Vennemann ... mixing assistant
Lajos Wienkamp Marques ... supervising sound editor (as Lajos Wienkamp-Marques)
Rasmus Winther Jensen ... sound editor
Alexander Wunsch ... mixing assistant

Special Effects by

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Rabea Samour ... special effects crew
Waleed Al Subeihat ... special effects crew

Visual Effects by

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Jörundur Rafn Arnarson ... visual effects supervisor: on-set
Ruben Ejdestig ... visual effects artist: dupp film
Zafer Fanari ... visual effects artist: dupp film
Martin Fält ... 3d artist:dupp film
Emil Gunnarsson ... visual effects artist: dupp film
Peter Hjorth ... visual effects supervisor
Magnus Jonsson ... visual effects artist: dupp film
Anders Nyman ... visual effects supervisor: dupp film
Per Nyman ... visual effects artist: dupp film
Pär Olsson ... visual effects artist: dupp film

Stunts

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Wael Baghdadi ... local stunt coordinator / stunt double: Sharifi
Natalie Hussein ... stunt double: Rahimi
René Lay ... stunt coordinator
Marwan Naghway ... stunt double: Saeed (as Marwan Dodo)
Alexandra Peltekian ... stunt double: Zinab
Anas Al Shishani ... stunt double: Saeed

Camera and Electrical Department

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Mohammad Ali Balaawi ... key grip
Mohammed Amaireh ... VTO
Zaid Assaf ... digital imaging technician
Mohammed Badawi ... key grip
Matthias Franz ... Gaffer 2nd unit: VFX Plate Unit Berlin
Philip Jagdschian ... lighting assistant 2nd unit: VFX Plate Unit Berlin (as Philip Jagtschain)
Ahmad Jarrar ... alternate VTO
Nasser Kadamani ... second assistant camera
Zaid Kanaan ... second assistant camera
Sinan Al Khatib ... drone operator
Martin Lerche ... Light Design
Ahmad Abu Najem ... electrician
Mahmoud Abu Najem ... spark
Mohammad Abu Najem ... best boy
Yazan Najem ... gaffer
Markus Ohlhus ... Gaffer 2nd unit: VFX Plate Unit Berlin
Benjamin Raeder ... first assistant camera 2nd unit: VFX Plate Unit Berlin
Stefan Rücker ... digital imaging technician: second unit, visual effects plate unit, Berlin
Talal Salah ... best boy grip / grip
Zaid Abu Saud ... electrician
Axel Stock ... first assistant camera
Markus Zucker ... cinematographer 2nd unit: VFX Plate Unit Berlin

Casting Department

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Seyed Javad Hashemi ... acting coach
Hala Jarrah ... casting coordinator
Mohammad Kloob ... casting director Jordan
Tara Morani ... casting assistant (as Taha Moghani)
Saeed Nasiri ... casting coordinator: Turkey

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Tuleen Abida ... costume assistant
Rez Fâdjanï ... Art & Costume Advisor/Research
Nabil Khoury ... costume supervisor
Yasmine Lutfi ... costume intern

Location Management

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Abdullah Daoud ... unit assistant
Hazem Elian ... location manager
Feras Faour ... location security
Omar Hasan ... unit assistant
Samer Kadash ... unit assistant
Azeez Moghrabi ... Unit supervisor
Mustafa Mursi ... unit assistant
Osama Mursi ... unit assistant
Gökhan Seven ... location scout: Turkish Pre-Production Crew
Emad Toghoj ... locations

Transportation Department

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Lina AlHaj ... transportation coordinator
Osama Abu Ali ... production driver
Mustafa Badwan ... driver: Wardrobe Truck
Hasan Enbeh ... driver: Light & Grip Truck
Diya' Ghawadreh ... production driver
Wael Adul Haj ... Driver: cast car
Waleed Abu Al Haj ... Driver: Directors car
Khader Abu Hashish ... driver: Set Dressing Truck
Moustafa Isaa ... driver: WC Truck
Mohammad Khalifehei ... driver: Makeup & Hair Truck
Mahmoud Nassif ... production driver
Nidal Nsairat ... production driver
Fayez Qateel ... driver: Props Truck
Yanal Rawashdeh ... production driver
Omair Shraifat ... production driver
Khaled Shtiwi ... driver: Unit Truck
Raed Al Turk ... driver: Camera Truck

Additional Crew

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Mahdi Abu-Salma ... daily set pa
Alaa Algburi ... production assistant
Ahmad Alnaimat ... set medic
Aseel Abu Ayyash ... assistant line producer
Anzor Bij ... daily set pa
Melanie Dastmalchi ... producer assistant: Profile Pictures
Tanya Schurter Deutschbein ... Production Controller
Madeleine Ekman ... film commissioner
Kyle Garrett Greenberg ... Distribution
Alberte Gross ... office assistant: Profile Pictures
Ahmad Hadeed ... daily set pa
Waleed Abu Al Haj ... production runner
Tamim Hannon ... production accountant
Emilie Bredtved Hansen ... producer assistant: Profile Pictures
Farshad Hashemi ... assistant to director
Mostafa Khalaileh ... daily set pa
Omar Khomakho ... daily set pa
Signe Staugaard Koch ... office assistant: Profile Pictures
Emma Lind ... producer assistant: Profile Pictures
Simone Lund-Jensen ... production controller
Abdullah Moghrabi ... unit intern
Aske Nielsen ... Intern: Profile Pictures
Zakaria Sawalha ... daily set pa
Sima Seyed ... dialogue coach
Bahaa Shishani ... daily set pa
Mani Tilgner ... travel and booking
Islam Turbo ... daily set pa
Anna Warfvinge ... assistant to producer

Thanks

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Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm ... the director wishes to thank
Roxana Adle ... the director wishes to thank
Ali Akdeniz ... the director wishes to thank / the producers wish to thank
Milad Alami ... special thanks
Helge Albers ... the producers wish to thank
Fabien Arséguel ... the producers wish to thank
David Atlan Jackson ... the producers wish to thank
Hamraz Bayan ... the director wishes to thank
Christoffer Berg ... the director wishes to thank
Julie Billy ... the producers wish to thank
Rasmus Birch ... the director wishes to thank
Marise Boylan ... the producers wish to thank
Jacob Clemmensen ... thanks
Maha Dakhil ... the director wishes to thank
Isabella Eklöf ... special thanks
Behrooz Hashemian ... the director wishes to thank (as Behrouz Hashemian)
Shahab Hosseini ... the director wishes to thank
Bong Joon Ho ... the director wishes to thank
David Lynch ... the director wishes to thank
Gholamreza Moosavi ... the director wishes to thank
Jessica Nickelsberg ... the director wishes to thank (as Jessica Nicklesberg)
Gry Raaby ... special thanks
John Rang-Schmidt ... the director wishes to thank (as John Rang Schmidt)
Amanda Tabak ... the director wishes to thank
Ingeborg Topsøe ... the director wishes to thank
Marianne Tønsberg ... the director wishes to thank
Jonas Wagner ... special thanks
Attila Yucer ... the director wishes to thank
Atilla Salih Yücer ... the director wishes to thank
Ida Ziniti ... the director wishes to thank

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

Female journalist Rahimi travels to the Iranian holy city of Mashhad to investigate a serial killer targeting sex workers. As she draws closer to exposing his crimes, the opportunity for justice grows harder to attain when the murderer is embraced by many as a hero. Based on the true story of the 'Spider Killer' Saeed Hanaei, who saw himself as on a mission from God as he killed 16 women between 2000 and 2001. Written by Fred Burle

Plot Keywords
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Les nuits de Mashhad (France)
  • Araña sagrada (United States, Spanish title)
  • Holy Spider. Araña sagrada (Spain)
  • Sveti Pajek (Slovenia)
  • عنكبوت مقدس (United Arab Emirates)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 118 min
Official Sites
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Filming Locations

Did You Know?

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Trivia A few days after Zar Amir Ebrahimi won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance in this film, Iranian officials accused the Iranian-born actress and the movie's Danish-Iranian director, Ali Abbasi, of "blasphemy." Some have even gone further, calling for their executions. The Iranian Organization of Cinema and Audiovisual Affairs, which operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, released a statement calling the film "shameless obscenity," adding that it was "the product of the twisted mind of an Iranian-Danish man", and condemning the Cannes Festival for awarding the film the Best Actress award, calling it "an insulting and politically-motivated move". Ebrahimi also told CNN that she had received around 200 threats after the award ceremony at Cannes. The director of 'Holy Spider' and others involved in making this film have also received similar threats. See more »
Goofs In the first scene of Rahimi and Sharifi together, style of Sharifi's sleeves repeatedly changes in different shots. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in The Most Theatre Walkouts I've EVER Seen | Cannes 2022 Explained (2022). See more »
Crazy Credits The title card shows up 11 minutes into the movie. See more »
Quotes Saeed: I'm gonna rid the streets of whores! I ain't gonna stop!
See more »

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