Critical Zone /
Critical Zone is a social drama movie, written and directed by Ali Ahmadzadeh. Shot in secret and without official permission from the Iranian authorities, this Iranian-German co-production takes viewers into the heart of Tehran’s underworld. The film was awarded the Golden Leopard at the 76th Locarno Film Festival, though Ahmadzadeh was barred from attending the premiere—another reminder of the risks artists still face in Iran.
Synopsis
Amir leads a solitary life. With only his dog by his side, he roams Tehran in his car, dealing drugs and offering a strange kind of salvation to those in need—like a prophet drifting through a city without hope. Guided only by his GPS and numbed by narcotics, Amir’s path seems aimless. But in the fog of detachment, something begins to awaken—a quiet resistance, fragile but real.
My role
I played “The Boy,” a young man addicted to weed and one of Amir’s regular customers. In the film, he appears in a late-night encounter, asking Amir for a ride after taking the drug.
Beyond acting, Critical Zone also marked my first experience as a casting director.
AWARDS
- Locarno Film Festival – International Competition – Golden Leopard—2023
- Batumi International Art-House Film Festival – International Feature Film Competition – Best Film—2023
- Haifa International Film Festival – Carmel International Competition – Best Film Award—2023
- 3 Continents Festival – International Competition – Young Jury Award—2023
SCREENINGS
- Premiere at Locarno Film Festival – International Competition—2023
- World Cinema Amsterdam – Competition—2023
- Busan International Film Festival – A Window on Asian Cinema—2023
- São Paulo International Film Festival – International Perspective—2023
- Hong Kong Asian Film Festival – Wide Angle—2023
- Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival – Another View—2023
- Singapore International Film Festival – Asian Feature Film Competition—2023
- Seattle International Film Festival – Official Competition—2024
- D'A Festival de Cinema de Barcelona – Radar—2024
- Black Movie Festival—2024
- Pune International Film Festival – World Competition—2024
- FICCI—2024
CREDITS
Director Ali Ahmadzadeh
Cast
Amir Pousti
Shirin Abedinirad
Maryam Sadeghiyan
Alireza Keymanesh
Saghar Saharkhiz
Mina Hasanlou
Alireza Rastjou
Saba Bagheri
Maman Pari
Mr. Fred
Crew
Screenwriter Ali Ahmadzadeh
DOP Abbas Rahimi
Editor Ali Ahmadzadeh
Sound Hasan Mahdavi
Production Ali Ahmadzadeh, Sina Ataeian Dena
Casting Director Alireza Keymanesh
Coproduction counterintuitive film
World Sales Luxbox