A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Dokhtari dar šab tanhâ be xâne miravad) (2014)

Horror, Drama

Director: Ana Lily Amirpour
Writer: Ana Lily Amirpour
Starring: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnò

"Bad things, we fear, are about to go down in Bad City."

Described as "the first Iranian vampire Western," A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night is a stunning mood piece that redefines what the genre is capable of.

Set in a fictional Iranian ghost-town named Bad City, the film centers around an unnamed mysterious girl who wonders the streets during the night riding a skateboard, while wearing a black chador that reminds of a Dracula-like cape. We quickly learn she is a vampire, but one that turns out to be a night hero of sorts, protecting the weak from the evil. As she walks the streets, she comes across all sorts of people: a child beggar, a prostitute, her pimp, a junkie and his good-natured son, who she develops a romantic relationship with.

The feature debut of young Iranian-American filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night focuses more on mood, tone, music and frame composition than on a straightforward narrative. Part vampire film, part spaghetti-western, part suburban drama and part self-indulgent art house film, this little gem that reminds of Let the Right One In is hailed as one of the best vampire movies of the past decade, with beautifully shot black-and-white cinematography and stunning visual style. Although the pacing is slow, it manages to somehow flow by in the blink of an eye, and will leave you itching for a repeat viewing.

Plot summary from IMDb: In the Iranian ghost-town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, the townspeople are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire.

Awards: 6 wins & 19 nominations.
Runtime: 101 min
UNRAT