Chess of the Wind
شطرنج باد
Iran • 1976
Director
#1145Criterion Collection →Synopsis
This rediscovered jewel of Iranian cinema has reemerged as one of the most astonishing works of the country’s prerevolutionary New Wave. A hypnotically stylized murder mystery awash in period atmosphere, CHESS OF THE WIND unfolds inside a candlelit mansion, where a web of greed, violence, and betrayal ensnares potential heirs as they vie for control of their matriarch’s estate. Melding the influences of European modernism, gothic horror, and classical Persian art, Mohammad Reza Aslani crafts an exquisitely restrained mood piece that erupts into a subversive final act in which class conventions, gender roles, and time itself are upended with shocking ferocity.
Synopsis
This rediscovered jewel of Iranian cinema has reemerged as one of the most astonishing works of the country’s prerevolutionary New Wave. A hypnotically stylized murder mystery awash in period atmosphere, CHESS OF THE WIND unfolds inside a candlelit mansion, where a web of greed, violence, and betrayal ensnares potential heirs as they vie for control of their matriarch’s estate. Melding the influences of European modernism, gothic horror, and classical Persian art, Mohammad Reza Aslani crafts an exquisitely restrained mood piece that erupts into a subversive final act in which class conventions, gender roles, and time itself are upended with shocking ferocity.
Part of Box Set
Credits
Crew
DirectorMohammad Reza Aslani
WriterMohammad Reza Aslani
CinematographerHoushang Baharlou
ComposerSheida Gharachedaghi
EditorAbbas Ganjavi
ProducerBahman Farmanara
Cast
Fakhri Khorvashas Lady Aghdas
Mohammadali Keshavarzas Hadji Amoo
Akbar Zanjanpouras Ramazan
Shohreh Aghdashlooas Kanizak