“There Is No Evil was filmed in secret and smuggled out of the country . . .” —Variety

Iranian writer/director/producer Mohammad Rasoulof is back with another conscientious moral drama, this time examining the universal issue of capital punishment. The topic is addressed through four powerful vignettes dramatizing the social, psychological, and emotional toll of taking a human life.

There Is No Evil explores questions surrounding the role ordinary people play in carrying out state-sanctioned death sentences. In each of the four stories, men tasked with executions grapple with their options, contend with the fallout, and witness the impact on those closest to them.

Unexpected Twist
The film begins with a family man going about his daily routine in “There Is No Evil,” then shifts gears with “She Said, 'You Can Do It,'” in which a prison guard argues with his cellmates about obligatory execution duty. In “Birthday,” a soldier on leave plans to propose to his girlfriend at her birthday party, until the celebration is postponed. The last story, “Kiss Me,” is a sentimental melodrama with an unexpected twist.

Clandestine Filming
Rasoulof, who studied sociology, is currently based in Tehran and Hamburg. Shortly after There Is No Evil won the Golden Bear at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival, Rasoulof was sentenced to a year in prison and a two-year ban on filmmaking. Although the Iranian government has restricted his opportunities to travel and present his films internationally, he continues to work, often filming clandestinely. Rasoulof has made seven feature films and is considered one of Iran’s leading directors.

• There Is No Evil / WATCH HERE beginning May 21. Your ticket ($12) supports the MFAH and provides a 5-day pass to the film. SEE THE TRAILER

Underwriting for the Film Department is provided by Tenaris and the Vaughn Foundation. Generous funding is provided by Nina and Michael Zilkha; The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea; Franci Neely; Carrin Patman and Jim Derrick; Lois Chiles Foundation; ILEX Foundation; L’Alliance Française de Houston; and The Foundation for Independent Media Arts.