Dress Rehearsal (Talghin)
Director: Ashkan Kheilnejad
Scriptwriter: Jaber Ramezani
Director of Photography: Mostafa Qaheri
Project Description
Yousef, a young theologian and prayer leader, lives in a village with his wife, Zohreh. When Haj Hassan, a respected villager, passes away, he entrusts Yousef with the sacred duties of performing the ritual washing, burial, and whispered instructional prayers. Despite Zohreh’s concerns about Yousef’s inexperience, he insists on carrying out this sacred responsibility to affirm his standing. In preparation, Zohreh lies wrapped in a shroud, assuming the role of the deceased. As Yousef whispers the prayers, he confronts not only the terrifying stillness of her body but also the profound weight of his duty. In that moment, Zohreh faces her own fears and doubts, grappling with the truths of death and human vulnerability.
Director’s Note
What breathes life into mise-en-scène?
This question guided my journey in visual storytelling. Rooted in theatre, adapting to cinematic mise-en-scène challenged me to bridge my understanding of live performance with filmic concepts like découpage and montage. Painting became a vital tool, allowing me to orchestrate composition, select angles, and arrange visual elements over time—crafting a rhythm that makes montage come alive.
Drawing inspiration from church paintings, I aimed to create images that resonate with their aesthetic harmony without simply replicating Renaissance symbolism. Through this approach, I framed the actors’ gestures and the tensions of each space, shaping the audience’s perception of the narrative and its emotional stakes.
The final result is a film where theatre, cinema, and painting intertwine, guiding the audience through a visual and emotional landscape that reflects the fragile and intricate dance between life and mortality.
Awards
- Winner of Best Fiction Short Film from the Iran Film Critics & Writers Association – May 2019
- Winner of the Special Jury Prize from the 9th Varesh International Film Festival – May 2019
- Winner of the Grand Prize at the 62nd Youth Cinema Regional Festival – March 2019
Cast
- Fereshteh Hosseini
- Hamed Rasouli
Creative Team
- Film Editor: Emad Khodabakhsh
- Production and Costume Designer: Farshid Djafari
- Sound Recordist: Vahid Bayat
- Music and Sound Mix: Ensieh Maleki
- Makeup Artist: Mohammad Gholami
- First Assistant Director: Shervineh Didandeh
- Unit Production Manager: Shoja Giahi
- Script Supervisor: Roya Attarzadeh
- Still Photographer: Amir Kharazmi
- Poster and Brochure Designer: Matin Kheybali
- Behind the Scenes Videographer: Vida Mousavian
- Composite: Faraz Eskandari
- Color Correction: Houtan Haghshenas and Mana Mohammadtaher
- Assistant Editor: Mohammad Ali Haghparast
- Sound Engineer: Alireza Nekola’l
- Camera Operators: Mohammad Aghahosseyni, Arman Amini, Sattar Goudarzi, Mohammadreza Badamchi, and Hesam Atyabi
- Assistant Production Designers: Elahe Najafi and Amir Yazdi
- Set Decoration and Accessories: Farzin Haghshenas
- Sound Post Production: Moon Studio
- Credits: Kasra Shahini
- Executive Producer: Tahere Hezave
Duration
20 Minutes
Production
- Producer: Ashkan Kheilnejad