There Is No Evil
Synopsis
There Is No Evil (Sheytân vojūd nadârad) is a compelling anthology drama composed of four distinct episodes, each centered on the moral dilemmas faced by individuals enmeshed in Iran’s state-sanctioned death penalty system. The story begins with Heshmat, a seemingly ordinary family man whose mundane daily life is joltingly disrupted by the revelation that he is also an executioner. In the second segment, Pouya, a conscripted soldier, grapples with the crushing decision to perform an execution-an act that conflicts profoundly with his conscience and aspirations.
The third chapter, Birthday, follows Javad, another soldier on leave, as he seeks to propose to his beloved—only for hidden repercussions of his execution duty to surface at a critical moment.
The final episode, Kiss Me, portrays Darya, a young Iranian-German woman visiting relatives in the countryside, and the subtle, painful truths that emerge within her family.
Through these four stories, director Mohammad Rasoulof examines themes of moral responsibility, personal resilience, and the human cost of obeying or resisting oppressive state structures.
Cast and crew
Cast
Ehsan Mirhosseini
Shaghayegh Shourian
Kaveh Ahangar
Alireza Zareparast
Salar Khamseh
Darya Moghbeli
Mohammad Valizadegan
Mahtab Servati
Mohammad Seddighimehr
Jila Shahi
Baran Rasoulof
Crew
Mohammad Rasoulof – Director, Writer, Producer
Kaveh Farnam – Producer
Farzad Pak – Producer
Ashkan Ashkani – Cinematographer
Amir Molookpour – Music Composer
Mohammadreza Muini – Editor
Meysam Muini – Editor
Saeed Asadi – Production Designer
Afsaneh Sarfehju – Costume Designer
Hasan Shabankareh – Sound
Philipp Kemptner – Sound
Hasan Mahdavi – Sound
My motivation for making this film is to analyze the circumstances of a society that forces people to be obedient subjects. My current situation and past experiences have obliged me to confront various forms of this veiled subjugation. Again, and again friends have urged me to flee Iran. When my last film “A man of Integrity” was shown in Cannes in 2017, the rulers dramatically increased their pressure on me. For my previous films, I was punished with deprivation of my freedom and banned from leaving the country.
Director’s Statement
Directers bio / filmography
Mohammad Rasoulof (born November 16, 1972; Shiraz) is an Iranian independent filmmaker. He is known for several award-winning films, including The Twilight (2002), Iron Island (2005), Goodbye (2011), Manuscripts Don’t Burn (2013), A Man of Integrity (2017) and There Is No Evil (2020). For the latter, he won the Golden Bear at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival.
He has been arrested several times and had his passport confiscated, as the nature and content of his films has brought him into conflict with the Iranian Government. In May 2024, Mohammad Rasoulof was sentenced by the Islamic Republic to 8 years in prison, whipping, and a fine. Rasoulof fled to an undisclosed location in Europe after the sentencing.
2002 The Twilight
2005 Iron Island
2009 The White Meadows
2011 Goodbye
2013 Manuscripts Don’t Burn
2017 A Man of Integrity
2020 There Is No Evil
2024 The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Documentary
Year English Title Original Title
2008 Head Wind
2022 Jenayat-e amdi