Los versos del olvido

In his first feature film, Iranian director Alireza Khatami tells a story he wrote himself of human dignity and respect for life. He combines the harsh and gritty reality of an unnamed South American country with enchanting magic realistic scenes. The film garnered many awards, including four at the Venice Film Festival 2017.

An old man is managing a remote cemetery and morgue on his own, with respect and dedication. Whereas the cemetery is characterized by serenity, there is unrest in the nearby city. One night, members of an armed militia invade the morgue; it is there they want to make the victims of a bloody protest disappear without a trace. Once the militiamen have left, the old caretaker returns. The militiamen seem to have overlooked the body of one victim, a young woman. The old man decides to give her a proper burial.