Holy Spider

2022, 1h 58min, Crime, Drama, Thriller

Directors: Ali Abbasi

Stars: Alice Rahimi, Diana Al Hussen, Soraya Helli, Mehdi Bajestani

In the holy city of Mashhad, a young journalist named Rahimi arrives from Tehran to investigate a series of brutal murders of sex workers. She soon discovers that the killer, a family man nicknamed Spider Killer, believes he is cleansing the streets in service of God. Inspired by a real case, the film follows her dangerous search through back alleys, motel rooms and police offices where indifference and quiet approval make her work even riskier. The tone is dark, tense and grounded, focusing less on jump scares and more on how everyday misogyny and religious zeal can turn violence into something disturbingly acceptable.