The Women and World War III: "World War III" Film Review

The "World War III" Film is the sixth feature film by Houman Seyyedi, which premiered on April 4, 2023, in Iranian cinemas. However, it was first showcased on September 7, 2022, at the Venice Film Festival. It was also screened at the Hamburg Film Festival in 2022 alongside films like "Holy Spider", "No Bears" and "Beyond the Wall" Similar to Saeed Roustaee's "Leila's Brothers", this film was leaked online. Still, fortunately, it hit Iranian Cinemas six days later and attracted audiences nationwide.

The "World War III" Film tells the story of a day labourer named Shakib (Mohsen Tanabandeh) who joins a film crew shooting a movie. After the first day, the supervisor, impressed with Shakib's work, asks him to return for subsequent days. This continues until Shakib is transferred to the kitchen and gradually requests better sleeping accommodations. But the Story changes with the heart attack of the actor playing the role of Hitler, and the director asks Shakib to do a makeup test. Shakib hesitates, claiming he doesn’t know how to act, but eventually, he is chosen for the role of Hitler and signs a contract.

Shakib has lied to his supervisor, claiming he has no family and that his wife and child are dead. However, we know a woman named Ladan (played by Mahsa Hejazi), with whom Shakib communicates through video calls using sign language (Ladan is deaf). Ladan is Shakib's lover. But there’s a problem; Ladan has an owner—a man she lives with who rents her out and earns money from her. Shakib is in love with Ladan, and we see that Ladan also has feelings for Shakib, deciding to escape from her owner to be with him. After Shakib lands the role of Hitler, he starts sleeping in Hitler’s house (a set built for the film). After taking Ladan in, Shakib almost gets caught several times for bringing someone to the filming location and Hitler's house. He asks Ladan to stay in the basement (a space under the pillars) during the day, bringing her lunch and dinner and sneaking her into the house at night when everyone leaves.

One day, Ladan’s owner finds them and beats Shakib. Shakib refuses to let Ladan go, and the man demands a lot of money to release her. Shakib asks for time, and the man gives him only one day. Shakib tries to gather the money by any means, unaware that the film crew plans to burn down the house for a scene. While Shakib is negotiating with the man, the crew sets the house on fire, unaware that Ladan is in the basement. She burns to death, and her body remains under the rubble. Shakib is forced to reveal the truth and tells the crew that someone is trapped under the debris. To avoid trouble, the crew tries to cover up the incident, but another woman, Neda (Neda Jebraeili), possibly the assistant director, decides to help Shakib file a complaint. However, the process fails, and Shakib is left in a bind, leading him to poison the entire film crew in revenge.

And the Women…

In "World War III" Film, aside from the main character Shakib, two women play crucial roles. The first is Shakib’s lover, Ladan, who endures all sorts of oppression and humiliation without resistance. The second is the assistant director, who rises for justice and stands up for Shakib. At the film's end, we see her leaving the film crew to attend to Shakib's matters.

Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, famously said: "If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman." This statement is not a feminist viewpoint but rather a realistic one. In society, women are mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters—each representing something. But looking more closely, these words encompass several concepts: love, life, and support. When we focus on the female characters in this film, we see that all these qualities are present in these two women.

Love: This is clear and tangible in both characters. Ladan’s love for Shakib is genuine and heartfelt, while Neda’s love for humanity drives her pursuit of justice.

Life: This word embodies the identity that a woman brings to a man and humans in general. In one scene, Ladan and Shakib sit by the fire, and Ladan dreams about the future, symbolizing life. Similarly, Neda, the assistant director, inspires and brings freshness throughout the film.

Support: This quality is present in both women. Ladan emotionally supports Shakib and is willing to sacrifice herself to keep him out of trouble.

We have two women with different personalities, each representing a different segment of society. Briefly considering George Ritzer’s sociological perspective, gender inequality and oppression in the film occur when Ladan has no rights over her own life and needs her owner’s permission for everything. With Neda, the oppression is avoided because she stands against the injustice faced by Shakib.

In conclusion, this noir-style crime drama is so well-crafted and its screenplay is so meticulously developed that one can find various reviews on different cinema websites and magazines. I recommend reading those reviews as well.

Shayan Iroomloo Tabrizi