A serial killer who has been terrorizing the Soviet Union is finally arrested after over 10 years. However, the lead detective, Issa, has to reopen the case when he receives a tipoff that the man arrested is not their guy after all. The investigation gets tougher, and the team and those involved suffer once again from unavoidable fear and vulnerability. The Execution is Lado Kvataniya’s feature film debut, inspired by the story of Andrei Chikatilo, a serial killer from the 1980s with 52 victims. A detective follows the evidence of brutal murders like a typical noir crime thriller, but in a non-linear plot, alternating scenes from the past and present to portray complex psychological situations. The director keeps a calm and cool perspective, building up layers of memories around this horrible serial murder case. Don’t forget to look out for the glimpses of Memories of Murder (2003) in this film. (Jin PARK)