Under The Moonlight

Another gem from the world of Iranian cinema, UNDER THE MOONLIGHT is a thought provoking look at religious mores from director Seyyed Reza Mir-Karimi. Seyyed Hassan is a student who is deeply emerged in his religious studies; he hopes to become a cleric after sitting the necessary exams. But a run-in with a thief, who steals Seyyed's vestments, leads him into a whole new world that challenges all the teachings that he has absorbed over the years. Following the thief, he enters into a poverty-stricken world that is in direct contrast to the lessons he's learnt in class. Suddenly feeling at odds with the religion he has slavishly poured over for years, Seyyed finds himself faced with a tough decision about whether to continue. A hugely affecting film, UNDER THE MOONLIGHT opens up an important discourse on matters that affect Iranian citizens on a daily basis, but are too frequently swept under the carpet in an attempt to shy away from the failings of a society that all too often clouds its true problems via religious dogma that no longer has relevance to many of its citizens.