Fish & Cat

Fish & Cat is an eye-opening Iranian horror-drama film directed by the noteworthy filmmaker Shahram Mokri and made its debut in 2013. The film gained global recognition and earned a well-deserved spot in international film festivals, including the Venice International Film Festival, where it gained the Special Orizzonti Award for Innovative Content.

The film provides a captivating cinematic experience through its unique storytelling and creative cinematography. Audiences are immediately drawn in by its spellbinding narrative anchored by stellar performances from Babak Karimi, Saeed Ebrahimifar, and Siavash Cheraghi Pour.

Fish & Cat is set around a derelict, isolated restaurant in the mountainside that catches our first attention with its eerie aura. A couple of semi-sociable characters run this supposedly kite-running restaurant – a place that holds a spoilt reputation for rumors of serving human meat. However, reality and rumors entangle as a group of university students participating in a kite flying event accidentally fall into the path of this restaurant.

Babak Karim, who plays the character of a cook in the restaurant, masterfully shrouds the mantle of an uncanny character who contributes to the uneasy tone of the film. Saeed Ebrahimirad and Siavash Cheraghipoor, portraying two among the group of students, exhibit the rising feeling of discomfort and tangible dread that pervades their interaction with the local locals of the brittle site.

The genius of this film, however, lies in its distinctive presentation style. Shahram Mokri makes an innovative approach to how the story unfolds. The plot does not linearly progress from point A to B. Instead, it is shot in a continuous 134 minutes sequence, which allows the narrative to unfold in real-time, providing an authentic feeling of suspense and fear. The camera meanders from scene to scene following various characters, each transition smoothly conducted to reveal another piece of the jigsaw puzzle, heightening our curiosity and anticipation.

The cinematography deserves special mention for its evocative portrayal of the bleak restaurant and surrounding environs, adding significantly to the overarching mood of the piece. The beautiful landscape of the mountains forms a stark contrast to the restaurant's uncanny, borderline macabre, aura, creating an ambiance that leaves audiences with an unsettlement that lingers.

The movie's soundtrack, composed by Christophe Rezai, also plays a vital role in capturing the essence of the story. The music throughout the film is hauntingly beautiful and perfectly complements the unfolding eeriness and atmospheric tension.

Fish & Cat also benefits from excellent scriptwriting that delivers thoughtful dialogues which intrigue the audience. A mysterious air pervades the conversation between characters that add more depth to the characters' persona fueling the smoke and mirrors game of the narrative.

As the plot unfolds, Fish & Cat unveils multiple meaningful layers beneath its seemingly uncomplicated surface, experimenting with different themes throughout its duration. It transcends the boundary of traditional 'bound-to-chair' horror by focusing on the psychological aspects and thus challenging the viewer’s perception of horror. Murky tales, social estrangement, mental health are all woven finely within the narrative that provokes thoughts in the audience.

In a nutshell, Fish & Cat is a masterclass of suspenseful storytelling and innovative filmmaking, a testament to director Shahram Mokri's brilliance. Although the film’s tempo may be deliberately slow-paced, it aids in building tension and leaves you with numerous possibilities to ponder about, taking horror to an entirely new experimental level. The performances are strong with a convincing portrayal of characters in their unnerving predicament, and the visual craftsmanship is first-rate.

Instead of resorting to cheap jump scares, the film investigates a deeper meaning of fear, providing viewers with a lingering sense of dread. At the same time, Fish & Cat arguably remains an intense study of the human psyche making it a must-watch for those who prefer profound yet artistic narrative explorations. This is a film for anyone who enjoys non-traditional horror, rich suspense, and captivating cinematography - a movie that you will not soon forget.