Under the Shadow (2016)

Under the Shadow (2016) is a tense, atmospheric horror-drama set in Tehran during the Iran–Iraq War. The film follows Shideh, a former medical student who is barred from returning to university and left to care for her young daughter Dorsa alone after her husband is drafted to the front. When a missile lodges in the roof of their apartment building and neighbors flee the bombing, the pair stay behind — and soon begin to experience a creeping, malevolent presence tied to local beliefs about djinn. When Dorsa’s beloved doll Kimia goes missing and the child’s nightmares and fevers worsen, Shideh must confront both a supernatural threat and the very real terror of war. Viewers can expect slow-building dread rather than constant jump scares: the film uses claustrophobic interiors, clever sound design, and moments of sudden shock to keep tension high. The horror is both literal and symbolic — the djinn and the haunted apartment operate alongside a portrait of a society under siege, where fear, paranoia, and repression feed one another. At its core the movie is an intimate mother–daughter story, with strong performances that make the emotional stakes as compelling as the scares. If you watch Under the Shadow you’ll experience a blend of psychological horror and political allegory: oppressive atmosphere, unnerving silence, bursts of violence, and moments of genuine pathos. It’s ideal for viewers who appreciate smart, artful horror grounded in real historical trauma, and for those who like films that leave some ambiguity between supernatural and psychological explanations. Content note: contains war-related violence, missile attacks, child distress, and supernatural menace.

Actors: Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi

Director: Babak Anvari

Runtime: 84 min

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Horror

5.8 /10 83 /100 6.8 /10 7.0 /10