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The Things You Kill

Alireza Khatami
festival
Tue 29 Apr 25 - Sat 3 May 25
  • Caution with children up to 16 years of age

Ali is haunted by the suspicious death of his mother and the discovery of her abuse at the hands of his father. Filled with rage and guilt, he gazes into the abyss of his own soul.

Ali, a university professor, is tormented by the mysterious death of his sick mother. He discovers that his father had abused her while he, Ali, was living abroad. Consumed by guilt and rage, he suspects foul play and starts planning revenge. While cultivating his vegetable garden, he encounters a mysterious man who encourages his evil intentions.

A brooding psychological thriller that blends Turkish realism with Lynchian mystery. The film paints a suffocating portrait of fathers and their sons, in which violence and guilt are passed down like a toxic torch. In long, drawn-out scenes, a grim drama unfolds concerning the stifling influence of the patriarchy and the burden of masculinity, while making use of impressive landscapes reminiscent of the work of Nuri Bilge Celyn.  

direction
Alireza Khatami
cast
Hazar Ergüçlü, Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil
duration
114 min
year
2025
country
Turkey
language
Turkish, English
Subtitles
English
  • Caution with children up to 16 years of age

festival

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Regisseur

Alireza Khatami

director

"A nasty, sweat-drenched nightmare that leaves you dazed and a black-hearted look at the poison that seeps into the veins of men as much as women in a patriarchal world." − IndieWire