Chimera (2017)

Directed by: Kaweh Modiri | 40 minutes | drama | Actors: Shahine El-Hamus, Renée Fokker, Matteo van der Grijn, Sonia Eijken, Maira Belghanou, Gover Meit, Mona Alikhah, Taoufik Slimane, Elif Cavus, Wouter van de Kuijt, Karima El Villali

The twelfth edition of One Night Stand consists of six films of just under 45 minutes and is one of the most important film projects for emerging, promising filmmakers in the Netherlands. The last film in this series is ‘Chimere’ by Kaweh Modiri. The Iranian director made his first feature film in 2016 with ‘Bodkin Ras’, which has earned him name recognition and international awards at various film festivals.

The movie title lives up to its name. ‘Chimère’ is one big delusion in which an innocent visit to the fair for Milad (Shahine El-Hamus) quickly turns into a fictitious, strange experience. Just like in a dream (or nightmare), some logic in ‘Chimère’ seems far-fetched. Milad constantly and in a fairly inexplicable way ends up in the most absurd environments and situations. For example, after being chased by a pack of sheepdogs, he loses his girlfriend Sali (Monia Eijken) and her sister Elena (Maira Belghanou) in the forest.

During his attempts to find them again, he encounters a very curious couple in an abandoned and grim building and climbs out on a rope to go from one special scene to the next. Milad is lost and doesn’t quite know where to run to. While Milad seems to adjust quite easily to a confused event, several scenes yield a certain uneasiness, not knowing what else is to follow.

The acting is not necessarily believable or profound, rather awkward, but therefore fitting within the delusion outlined. As a viewer, you tend to want to understand the whole thing, which is difficult because the literal “dream flight” in which Milad seems to find himself cannot be explained unambiguously. The director’s choice to depict everything in an abstract way is daring. On the one hand, Modiri knows how to arouse the viewer’s curiosity and reveal a deeper meaning. On the other hand, not everyone will be open to this somewhat experimental form of film making and ‘Chimère’ remains absurd.