Mortician is a slow burn, but is brutally rewarding for those who invest in it. It follows Mojtaba (Nima Sadr, A Shrine, Peace in Pain), a middle-aged man who has been hired to perform traditional Islamic funeral rites for Muslims throughout Canada by the Iranian Government. His routine of jet-setting across Canada is disrupted when he is contacted by Jana (Gola, Tehran 1998, Head over Heels) a dissident Iranian activist and Pop singer who is in exile in Canada. She confides in Mojtaba her intention to commit suicide in order to evade being murdered by the Iranian regime, and wants Mojtaba to give her a traditional Islamic burial.
The beginning of the movie takes its time. We see Mojtaba’s daily routine as he travels, does his job, then moves on to the next funeral. Whilst many viewers may struggle with the film’s first act, I would argue that it was necessary to emphasise the impact Jana has on Mojtaba’s life: the effect she has is immense, and it is greatly satisfying to see him gradually come out of his shell.
The feature’s end credits contain a letter from director Abdolreza Kahani, which talks about how he likes to film with as few people and equipment as possible. He uses iPhone cameras at various points in order to achieve a grounded and intimate tone. At times, it feels as though we are watching someone’s personal videos projected onto the big screen, which I found extremely effective.
Both leads give great performances. Sadr’s portrayal of Mojtaba lends the character both the reserve and likeability he needs for his story to work. Gola provides Jana with a sense of conviction and steadfastness. It would be amiss of me not to mention that Gola (and many of the film’s other actors and crew members, according to the credits) is herself in exile from Iran, which undoubtedly has informed her portrayal of Jana. I would highly recommend this film to those who are fans of a simmering storyline with a political edge.
The 78th Edinburgh International Film Festival ran from the 14th to the 20th August 2025. Mortician screened as part of the Competition Features strand, and was awarded The Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence.
Press image provided by EIFF 2025 for press use.