Greetings again from the darkness. This can’t be right. It doesn’t seem real. Yet, it’s possibly the harshest form of reality. Documentarians Tanaz Ashaghian and Farzad Jafari managed to gain access to two families during a process most of us westerners can’t fathom. I had to keep reminding myself this is a documentary and these are real people from real families. Theirs is a true story … a legal and cultural and family thriller with real consequences.
In Tehran, a man discovers a corpse buried in the floor of his kitchen. The previous tenants included Taherah, who was then arrested, convicted of murder, and sent to prison for fourteen years. Her defense for killing her husband was his drug abuse led to his violence towards her … as evidenced by hospital visits for treatment of injuries incurred. She had requested a divorce, but in Iran, divorce is typically only granted when instigated by the husband. So, Taherah, along with her daughters, did what they felt was needed to protect themselves. The other two were pardoned, and Taherah served her 14 year prison sentence.
Now you may think that story is tragic … and you’d be correct. However, it’s just the beginning here. Saria Law in Iran states the family of the murder victim decides between execution and forgiveness (accompanied with diya, or blood money). This is AFTER the prison sentence is served. In this case, the decision falls to Taherah’s in-laws, specifically Bashir, her brother-in-law. Her fate is in his hands. The elderly mother-in-law demands execution, but again, this is Iran, so it falls to the man.
The Quran promotes “an eye for an eye”, while also claiming forgiveness is better. An anti-execution advocacy group is brought in to assist with the negotiations, and a hefty sum is settled upon. It’s a shocking amount of money for the poor family and if they can’t raise it, execution is the only step. In another twist of fate, Bashir’s eldest son must assume the negotiations, and he takes a hardline approach despite the efforts of the advocacy group and the pleas from Taherah’s son, Mohsen.
It’s remarkable just how much of this process the filmmakers capture for us to witness. We are often inside private homes or in closed door negotiations … truly eavesdropping on life and death matters. The stress and tension will be felt by each viewer as negotiations and the courtroom drama play out. Ashaghian and Farzad have delivered a terrific documentary that will certainly take most viewers out of their comfort zone and open eyes to a world we struggle to comprehend.
Opens in theaters on August 12, 2026 and will be available digitally on Jolt.film beginning August 14, 2026
Posted by David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. “Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?” It’s a familiar pitch we hear every year at grocery stores, our front doors, and even at the office as co-workers spread the word on behalf of their scouting daughters. With an annual hankering for Thin Mints, we gladly exchange our cash for a box … or two or three. Documentarian Alysa Nahmias takes an unusual approach to this ritual of local Girl Scouts selling sweets. For historical perspective, the film opens with archival footage covering decades of boxed goodie transactions initiated by girls in the familiar vests.
Greetings again from the darkness. Olmo is like most fourteen-year-old boys. His visual fantasizing about the girl of his dreams requires nothing more than a toy car and a glimpse of her walking outside. Yet, Olmo is also different than most his age because he shares caregiving responsibilities for his disabled dad, who is stricken with Multiple Sclerosis. It’s been more than a decade since he last directed a feature film, and writer-director Fernando Eimbcke delivers one of his best. He and co-writer Vanesa Garnica also collaborated on this year’s FLIES, which is currently making the festival rounds (including Cannes).
Greetings again from the darkness. Movie weddings are fertile grounds for romantic-comedies. Folks get dressed up and meet at a fancy venue, while possibly drinking a bit too much and almost certainly dealing with an abundance of family drama. Emotions and stress levels skyrocket, and some handle this better than others. Writer-director Reed Arnold (his directorial debut) sees this as the perfect opportunity for the groom’s ex (best friend/wannabe lover) to crash the wedding, igniting chaos and guilt and pent-up feelings … and laughs.
Greetings again from the darkness. In 2004, we had a film based on dodgeball, so it only makes sense that the hottest game going these days, Pickleball, gets its shot on the big screen. Josh Greenbaum (WILL & HARPER, 2024) directs a screenplay from Sean Clements (“Workaholics”), and the result is a comedy in the realm of films like HAPPY GILMORE (1996), KICKING & SCREAMING (2005), and yes, DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY (2004). The film tries (too) hard to generate laughs, and its best moments seem to be in the sincere intergenerational bond between two otherwise mismatched characters.
Greetings again from the darkness. Most of us would do just about anything for a grieving loved one. Kepsuke (Daigo Yamamoto) proves this when he accompanies his wife Otone (Haruka Ayase) to a presentation at ReBirth, a company specializing in humanoids meant to replace a lost child. An accident two years ago cost this couple their 7-year-old son Kakeru (Rimu Kuwaki), and the husband, though skeptical of the whole thing, hopes this is what his wife needs to move on.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s such a treat when a film sneaks up and surprises you with such emotional depth that you not only feel like you know the characters, but you also want to stick around and see how they do over the next few years. The first feature film from writer-director A.R. Ephraim does just that, leaving me so touched by what I’d just watched, yet saddened that my connection with Jolene was over.
Greetings again from the darkness. What makes a movie “epic”? Most cinephiles would agree the list of epic movies includes LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962), GONE WITH THE WIND (1939), BEN-HUR (1959), and APOCALYPSE NOW (1979). Of course, arguments can be made for many other films, and it really comes down to how you define ‘epic’ and how you perceive a specific film. Regardless of your definition or perception, there is no doubt that this latest from Oscar winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan is an epic film and an epic movie-watching experience. Yes, it’s the first film to be filmed entirely with IMAX 70mm cameras, and it’s based on the Homer’s “Odyssey”, itself a piece of epic Greek literature … but it also is a piece of filmmaking unlike anything we’ve previously seen.
Greetings again from the darkness. For those who are itching to re-live the glory days of 1984 high school, writer-director Michael Walker and co-writer Susan Gomes are here for you. The surprising part is that even for non-Gen X viewers, the film is so well crafted and acted, that it flows beautifully as a time capsule for the era. As if that’s not enough, it’s also based on a true story.
Greetings again from the darkness. I usually try to avoid using the word ‘endearing’ to describe a film that strikes an emotional chord, but for this film from writer-director Lauren Meyering and co-writer Mackenzie Breeden, the word fits perfectly. Much of the reason for this is the screen presence of Lillian Carrier, who was diagnosed with autism at age 16. Here she portrays twenty-two-year-old Margarita in a way that allows us to understand her real life challenges.