In 1978, just before the Iranian Revolution, a remote Kurdish village called Zalava is still fraught with superstition. Villagers blame a demon for a series of incidents and ask a shaman, Amardan, for help. Massoud, a military policeman sent to investigate, arrests Amardan, who claims he can get rid of the demon and lock it in a bottle. While the policeman’s orders cause conflicts with the villagers, Maliheh, a state-assigned doctor, tests the villagers’ blood and discovers high levels of adrenaline. In this occult horror format, the film depicts a clash of contrasting elements: tradition and modernity, faith and rationality, superstition and science. This dichotomous setting also applies to the two people Massoud faces, a shaman and a doctor. With memories and experiences, the Kurdish director reveals the sad truth that no reason or rationality can take root in an area where shamanism and superstition are rampant, and far removed from enlightenment. (CHO Jaewhee)