EIFF 2024: A Shrine

A lovely moral parable centred on an Iranian man living in Montreal who tries to get rich quick by building a mobile shrine for the city's Iranian diaspora community

Film Review by Carmen Paddock | 21 Aug 2024
  • A Shrine
Film title: A Shrine
Director: Abdolreza Kahani
Starring: Farhad Zarei, Kamelia Simab, Keyvan Safari, Masoud Motehaver, Mojan Safari, Nima Sadr, Shahrooz Rezania, Sholeh Lajevardi

Armed with a camera phone, an amateur cast and a skeleton crew largely comprised of just himself (as pointed out in charmingly idiosyncratic closing credits), Iranian director Abdolreza Kahani tells the story of a middle-aged man who – with a body ruined by a lifetime of washing cars and other taxing jobs – decides to build a mobile shrine in Montreal, driving his trailer around his Iranian diaspora community for their prayers and donations. Of course, this plan for a quick and easy fortune does not come without unforeseen consequences, not least from Nima’s own conscience. 

Like a modern-day version of Nikolai Gogol’s Dead Souls, A Shrine is hilarious and heartbreaking by turns, rejoicing drolly in humanity’s impulse for the path of least resistance while acknowledging the burdens of capitalist modernity that necessitate such desperate measures. As events escalate, Kahani’s deft directorial hand ensures social comedy and commentary remain effervescent rather than belaboured – an elegant feat of storytelling. The deadpan delivery by all performers and Kahani’s understated script ensure the satire never veers into vindictiveness. The mobile phone cinematography contributes to the rough-and-ready appeal of Nima’s con act, though Kahani’s eye captures the natural rich beauty of Montreal’s autumn weather alongside slices of life in car washes and kitchens. 

A Shrine is a true original in plot, theme, and craftsmanship, and one well worth seeking out. Should its UK release be inadequate, one hopes it is driven house to house, much like Nima’s shrine, to ensure all can experience this unforgettable modern parable.


A Shrine had its world premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival