Pig (2018)

Iranian directors are getting slaughtered by an unknown serial killer and a blacklisted director, Hasan Kasmai, is curious about only one thing: Why isn't the killer after him?

Director:

Mani Haghighi

Writer:

Mani Haghighi

Stars:

Hasan Majuni, Leila Hatami, Leili Rashidi

3 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Hasan Majuni	...	Hasan Kasmai (as Hassan Majooni)
Leila Hatami	...	Shiva Mohajer
Leili Rashidi	...	Goli
Parinaz Izadyar	...	Annie
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Saber Abar	...	Saber Abar
Mahnaz Afshar	...	Mahnaz Afshar
Siamak Ansari	...	Homayoun
Vishka Asayesh	...	Vishka Asayesh
Ainaz Azarhoush	...	Alma
Ali Bagheri	...	Azemat
Mahsa Hejazi
Mina Jafarzadeh	...	Jeyran
Payman Maadi	...	Payman Maadi
Biuk Mirzaei	...	Biuk Mirzaei
Ali Mosaffa	...	Sohrab Saidi

Storyline

Banned from making films, Hasan is doubly frustrated that his muse, the actress Shiva, is working with other directors. His home life is faring no better. There are disagreements with his wife, and his aged mother is getting more and more detached from reality. But most galling of all, a serial killer is going about beheading Iran's finest filmmakers, yet Hasan remains unscathed. Why, when he is one of the greatest, is he being completely ignored? The hilarity and hi jinks that follow are quite unlike anything we've seen in Iranian cinema.

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Plot Keywords:

animal in title | serial killer | iran | film director | blacklist | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery

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User Reviews

Comedic Horror

One of the other reviewers seems to think the director starred in the film as the main actor, and spells the director's name wrong the entire time. It prompted me to log in and review this film from the perspective of someone who actually knows Iranian cinema.

It's refreshing and funny in a way that few internationally notable Iranian films are. The movie is centered around Hasan, a movie director trying to adjust to a new reality as his fame declines while banned from working. Meanwhile, a serial killer is targeting notable film directors and beheading them, carving the word "pig" onto their foreheads. Hasan is an overgrown mama's boy and deals with his increasing irrelevancy poorly, finding himself wishing he could be the target of this serial killer so he can feel important again.

The film speaks volumes about the current role of social media in Iran and the impact it has had on culture. Justice, common opinion, even fact is decided by a society which now lives online and is obsessed with false idols.

There are comedic and tense moments throughout the film, and you find yourself both rooting for and against the protagonist. I would definitely recommend this film to someone just barely getting into Iranian cinema. Definitely a good film to help dip your toes in.

Details

Official Sites:

sourehcinema

Country:

Iran

Language:

Persian Turkish English

Release Date:

1 February 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pig

Filming Locations:

Tehran, Iran

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$24,666

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dark Precursor Productions, Filmiran, Hedayat Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1