Notes of Tarkovsky can be felt in Ana Lily Amirpour’s black and white masterpiece of few words and significant action, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night. The movie follows a female vampire in a rundown town in Iran, who preys upon men taking advantage of women. The character of the vampire, “The Girl”, is juxtaposed by the well-meaning and sensitive character of Arash, a local boy looking to stay out of trouble and make a life for himself. 

As the movie goes on and the characters’ plotlines begin to intertwine, surreal framing and composition begins to explore dimensions of gender in space. Amirpour takes traditional tropes and cinematic elements, turning them on their heads to create a stunning, immersive visually driven story. Oscillating between funny, creepy and intimate, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night pushes the viewer to question their own perceptions of masculinity and femininity, specifically in the conservative, non-Western context of Iran.

Words: Hiba Zubairi