Crimson Gold(Talaye sorkh)

Inspired by reports of a real-life failed burglary, Panahi revitalises Kiarostami’s riveting screenplay into a Tarantino-esque thrilling crime drama, laced with a double dose of Dostoevskian themes: an unholy coincidence and a cynical philosophy. Opening with an arresting single take of a jewellery shop hold-up that ends in murder and suicide, the story backtracks to chronicle how a pizza delivery driver’s class humiliation and frustration lead to tipping him over the edge. Through the circular narrative, economic inequality, injustice, and materiality brazenly come to the fore to fuel the tragedy, not just of a man, but of a nation with ingrained hypocrisy.

Cannes Film Festival: Un Certain Regard Jury Prize