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Babak Anvari

Babak Anvari is a -Iranian and specializing in and genres. Born in during the Iran-Iraq War, he spent his early childhood there before relocating to , where he developed his filmmaking career. Anvari gained prominence with his debut feature Under the Shadow (2016), a set amid the Iran-Iraq conflict, which blended personal wartime experiences with allegorical elements of djinn folklore and earned critical acclaim for its atmospheric tension and cultural specificity. The film secured him the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a , or Producer, along with the British Independent Film Award for Best , and was selected as the UK's entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Subsequent works include the Wounds (2019), starring and , which explored and digital-age paranoia but drew mixed reviews for its narrative indulgence, and the I Came By (2022), a release involving themes of class disparity and moral corruption. As co-founder of Two & Two Pictures production company, Anvari has focused on genre storytelling with social undertones, building on earlier shorts like the dystopian Two & Two (2011), which won awards including the BAFTA for Best . His films often draw from autobiographical roots in Iranian history and , prioritizing psychological over overt supernaturalism, though later projects faced critiques for uneven pacing amid ambitious premises.

Early life and education

Upbringing in Iran

Babak Anvari was born in , , in 1983 during the Iran-Iraq War, which lasted from 1980 to 1988 and dominated the early years of his life. He spent his first five years in a wartime environment marked by ongoing conflict, including the final missile attacks on in 1988, experiences that later shaped autobiographical elements in his filmmaking. Anvari grew up with an older brother in the post-1979 revolutionary setting of the , where the Iranian Cultural Revolution (1980–1987) enforced ideological conformity and restricted cultural expressions, including limited access to . These conditions, combined with the war's disruptions such as air raid sirens and societal mobilization, instilled a pervasive sense of fear and isolation that Anvari has described as foundational to his worldview. His early exposure to developed amid these constraints, fostering an appreciation for genres through whatever limited or clandestine means were available, though he began experimenting with short films only later in his teenage years in . The war's end in 1988, when Anvari was approximately five or six, marked a shift but left enduring impressions of vulnerability under authoritarian rule that causally influenced his later creative focus on psychological tension and allegory.

Emigration to the United Kingdom

In 2002, Babak Anvari, then 19 years old, left for the , marking the end of his childhood and teenage years spent entirely in . Born during the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), Anvari had grown up amid the conflict's aftermath and the Iranian Cultural Revolution's restrictions on cultural expression, experiences that later informed his but did not explicitly drive his departure as a claim. Instead, the move aligned with opportunities for abroad, as he soon enrolled in and television production studies in . Anvari settled in , where he has resided since, adapting to British society while preserving ties to his Iranian roots—a duality reflected in his films' themes of cultural displacement and heritage. Initial integration involved typical adjustments for young immigrants, including navigating language nuances and social norms in a multicultural urban environment, without documented severe hardships beyond standard relocation challenges. This period laid the groundwork for his professional development in the UK's , fostering a perspective that blends Eastern narrative traditions with Western production techniques.

Academic training

Anvari enrolled in the film and television program at the in following his arrival in the in 2002. The curriculum emphasized hands-on instruction in core filmmaking disciplines, including directing, , and processes, which aligned with the institution's focus on practical, industry-oriented training rather than theoretical abstraction. This approach provided Anvari with technical proficiency in visual narrative construction and cinematic techniques, such as framing and pacing, applicable to genres like that rely on atmospheric tension. During his studies, Anvari developed early proficiency in these skills through coursework and collaborative projects, forming connections that influenced his later professional partnerships, including with Kit Fraser, whom he met at the institution. The program's structure, which integrated exposure to film history from classical masters to contemporary independents, informed his command of mechanics without prioritizing rote memorization over applied execution. Completion of the program in the mid-2000s marked the foundation of his transition from academic exercises to independent production.

Career

Early short films and entry into filmmaking

Anvari's entry into professional filmmaking followed his graduation from the , where he directed several short films in the mid-2000s to hone his craft in narrative tension and visual storytelling. These early works, produced independently on limited budgets, emphasized psychological unease rather than overt spectacle, allowing him to experiment with confined settings and subtle escalation of dread—techniques that later defined his feature output. A pivotal project was the 2011 short Two & Two, a dystopian set in an Iranian classroom where a teacher enforces the equation "" as part of state-mandated re-education, sparking rebellion among students. Co-written with Gavin Michael and co-produced with Kit Fraser—who would later serve as cinematographer on Anvari's debut feature—the film was shot in a single location to maximize atmospheric pressure through tight framing and escalating interpersonal conflict. It premiered on the independent festival circuit and earned a BAFTA for Best British in 2012, marking Anvari's first major recognition in the UK film community and demonstrating his ability to embed political critique within minimalist structures. This success facilitated key collaborations and technical refinements, including precise to amplify unspoken threats and viewer immersion, funded through small grants and personal investment rather than institutional subsidies. Anvari's control over writing, directing, and production in these shorts built a foundation for self-reliant , attracting industry attention without reliance on genre-specific quotas. By prioritizing causal chains of authority and resistance, Two & Two exemplified his early focus on realism-grounded dread, distinct from elements in later .

Breakthrough: Under the Shadow (2016)

Under the Shadow marked Babak Anvari's debut as a and co-writer, blending with the historical context of the . The story follows Shideh () and her daughter Dorsa in 1988 , where attacks coincide with encounters with a malevolent djinn, drawing from traditional beliefs in shape-shifting spirits that exploit human vulnerabilities amid chaos. Anvari, drawing on his childhood experiences in during the war, crafted the narrative to intertwine supernatural dread with the tangible terror of aerial bombings and societal upheaval, emphasizing how wartime stress amplifies -rooted fears without romanticizing or evading the conflict's brutality. Produced on a below $1 million, the film was shot over 21 days primarily in to replicate Tehran's wartime atmosphere, utilizing practical effects and confined apartment sets to heighten . Rashidi's portrayal of Shideh, a banned medical student navigating and maternal protectiveness, anchors the production's intimate scale, while co-writer Kit Frick contributed to the script's focus on psychological unraveling under dual threats. The low-cost approach enabled authentic Farsi and cultural specificity, avoiding tropes in favor of grounded depictions of fear induced by both missiles and unseen entities. The film premiered in the Midnight section of the on January 22, 2016, securing distribution deals including with and for a U.S. limited release on October 7, 2016. It garnered the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a Writer, Director or Producer in 2017, recognizing Anvari's emergence, and was selected as the United Kingdom's entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the —marking the first such submission for an Iranian-produced —though it did not advance to nomination. Initial reception highlighted its effective fusion of historical realism with genre elements, crediting the film's restraint in portraying war's disruptions—such as enforced and evacuation sirens—as catalysts for the djinn's influence, rather than mere backdrop.

Mid-career works: Wounds (2019) and I Came By (2022)

Following the supernatural tensions of his debut Under the Shadow, Anvari shifted toward visceral body horror in Wounds (2019), a psychological thriller adapting Nathan Ballingrud's novella "The Visible Filth." The film centers on Will (Armie Hammer), a New Orleans bartender whose discovery of a discarded smartphone unleashes parasitic insects and hallucinatory descent into madness, exploring themes of contagion and lost rationality. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2019, it featured supporting performances by Dakota Johnson and Zazie Beetz, with production involving American entities like Annapurna Pictures alongside UK financing, marking Anvari's expansion into U.S.-centric co-productions. Critics praised its atmospheric dread and Hammer's portrayal of unraveling sanity but faulted the narrative for incoherence and underdeveloped supernatural logic, yielding a 47% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 60 reviews. Roger Ebert noted its strength in depicting "sweaty unraveling" yet critiqued the undercooked script, while The Guardian highlighted arresting visuals amid a "goofy" cursed-phone premise undermined by glossy execution flaws. Anvari's subsequent I Came By (2022) pivoted to territory, co-produced for and emphasizing class intrusion over overt horror. The script, penned by Anvari, follows Toby (George MacKay), a young artist targeting elite homes, who uncovers a basement atrocity tied to retired judge Hector (), prompting a chain of cover-ups involving Toby's mother (). Released globally on on August 31, 2022, the film blends procedural with critiques of institutional privilege and hidden predation among the affluent, drawing from real-world motifs of elite impunity without explicit elements. was moderately positive, with a 70% score from 43 reviews lauding Bonneville's against-type menace and script-driven twists, though some found the pacing sluggish and contrivances evident in its near-two-hour runtime. commended "fun performances and clever themes" elevating it above formulaic streaming fare, while deemed it "silly" overall despite effective villainy, reflecting Anvari's honed tension-building amid narrative predictability. These mid-career entries illustrate Anvari's genre-blending evolution, incorporating American talent and financing in Wounds—distributed via and Shudder for niche streaming audiences—while I Came By leveraged Netflix's platform for broader reach, prioritizing psychological realism and societal undercurrents over Under the Shadow's overt scares, though both faced critiques for uneven plotting that diluted causal clarity in favor of visceral or thematic impact.

Recent developments and upcoming projects

In 2025, Anvari directed Hallow Road, a written by William Gillies and starring and as parents confronting a late-night crisis involving their daughter, delving into themes of familial secrets and parental dread. The film held its world premiere at (SXSW) on March 8, 2025, and received a limited U.S. theatrical release on October 31, 2025, via . Anvari's involvement in larger-scale productions continued with his attachment to direct a direct sequel to the 2008 film for , announced in 2022 with a script by . In March 2025, Anvari confirmed the project remained active despite prior delays, signaling ongoing development amid the franchise's enduring appeal in the genre. This move reflects Anvari's transition toward franchise properties, leveraging horror's consistent market performance driven by low production costs relative to high returns.

Personal life

Family and residence

Anvari, a British-Iranian citizen, resides in , where he maintains his professional base following his emigration from Iran in 2002. His personal correspondence and company affiliations are also registered in London, underscoring his long-term settlement in the . Public information on Anvari's family life remains limited, with no verified details available regarding or children in interviews, biographical profiles, or official records. He has occasionally referenced familial influences from his Iranian upbringing, such as discussions with parents about wartime experiences, but these pertain to creative inspirations rather than current personal relationships.

Public statements on cultural and political issues

Anvari has drawn connections between his film (2016) and his childhood experiences during the Iran-Iraq War, stating that he was born in amid the conflict and endured its final years until age five, when the war ended. He described tapping into "childhood memories and remembering all the stress and anxiety involved," including recollections of missile attacks broadcast on television news, which informed the film's atmosphere of fear and isolation. In discussing the Iranian regime's constraints, Anvari explained his decision not to film in , citing the need to "tell my story as honestly as possible without restriction and ." He has characterized the wartime era as an underexplored backdrop for and psychological thrillers, using the to evoke and under duress rather than as overt political commentary. Anvari emphasized that his motivation stemmed from personal passion, not "a moral duty" to address specifically, and denied intending the work as a challenge to authorities, noting, "At the end of the day this isn’t intended to be a political piece." Anvari has largely avoided explicit activism, observing that "if you grow up in Iran or live in Iran everything you do becomes political," yet insisting his Iranian background does not imbue his films with a deliberate agenda. In January 2023, however, he co-signed an open letter to the UK Parliament from film industry figures, asserting that "the ongoing oppression of the freedom-loving people of Iran needs to stop" and calling for governmental response to the regime's actions.

Reception and legacy

Critical assessments and awards

Under the Shadow (2016), Anvari's directorial debut, garnered a 99% approval rating on from 104 reviews, with the critics' consensus praising its effective fusion of and wartime tension. The film won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a Writer, or in 2017. It also received the Award for debut and a Best nomination at the 2016 , alongside selection as the UK's entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Additionally, it claimed the Narcisse Award for Best Feature Film at the 2016 Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival and Best at the BloodGuts UK Horror Awards. Wounds (2019) premiered at the , where it was recognized for its bold atmospheric experimentation in , despite a 47% score from 60 reviews. I Came By (2022) achieved a 70% approval rating on from 43 reviews, with commendations for its tense narrative innovation in genre. Anvari's awards from independent horror festivals highlight his directing precision, positioning him as a contributor to genre evolution through restrained, culturally inflected storytelling.

Commercial performance and criticisms

Under the Shadow achieved modest theatrical earnings, grossing $31,900 domestically and $101,424 internationally for a worldwide total of $133,324. Its limited release reflected the challenges faced by independent horror films, though the picture gained traction through festival circuits and subsequent video-on-demand availability. Wounds, Anvari's English-language debut starring , received a restricted theatrical rollout after premiering at the , with box office figures remaining negligible and primarily confined to streaming platforms like Shudder and . Critics highlighted narrative disjointedness, describing the film as "glossy [and] underwritten" with a plot that failed to cohere despite visual ambition. Subsequent scrutiny of Hammer's personal scandals, emerging in 2021, further overshadowed its reception, though these post-dated the film's initial release. I Came By, a Netflix original, rapidly ascended to the top of the platform's UK film charts following its August 31, 2022, streaming debut, indicating solid viewership metrics for a thriller in that market. However, reviewers faulted its pacing and triptych structure for prioritizing ambiguity over resolution, resulting in a narrative that "defies easy gratification" and rushes toward an unsatisfying conclusion. Anvari's post-debut output has drawn critiques for uneven execution, with some observers noting an over-reliance on atmospheric dread at the expense of rigorous causal plotting, contrasting the tighter coherence of his feature debut. His forthcoming Hallow Road, set for limited theatrical release on October 31, 2025, has garnered early positive buzz for its confined, "lean" thriller setup akin to Locke, though full critical consensus awaits wider distribution.

Thematic influences and broader impact

Anvari's films recurrently draw from , particularly the concept of the djinn or as malevolent spirits that embody intangible, pervasive threats, integrated with Western horror traditions such as the psychological unease in Roman Polanski's Repulsion (1965) and (1968), which emphasize isolation and creeping paranoia over overt monstrosity. This fusion reflects a first-principles approach to dread, where supernatural elements causally arise from grounded historical stressors like the Iran-Iraq War's missile bombardments and post-revolutionary authoritarianism, portraying hidden perils as extensions of real societal controls rather than abstracted identity-based conflicts. Such motifs extend to broader patterns of war , evoking Lovecraftian cosmic indifference through the indifference of regimes and warfare to individual , where serves as a realist for unresolvable existential threats under oppressive structures. Anvari's work thus privileges causal , linking -derived horrors to empirical wartime conditions—such as the 1980s blackouts and evacuation fears—over symbolic indulgences, though conservative interpretations highlight how these narratives underscore the tangible costs of ideological rigidity, including suppressed dissent and familial disintegration, perspectives often underexplored in academia's bias toward progressive framings of Middle Eastern cinema. In terms of impact, Anvari has elevated voices from the within international , demonstrating how culturally specific folklore can universalize scares without dilution, as seen in Under the Shadow's (2016) role in pioneering Persian-language outside , bypassing domestic to critique social injunctions like roles and veiling through conventions. This has influenced a shift toward global authenticity, with filmmakers leveraging 's flexibility to address authoritarian legacies, fostering works that prioritize historical causality over contrived narratives. Strengths lie in the seamless causal weaving of history into horror's fabric, yielding authentic tension from verifiable events like the war's psychological toll, which amplifies thematic depth. However, a noted limitation is the occasional elevation of atmospheric ambiguity—relying on sustained unease without firm resolutions—which, while effective for , risks pretension when plot momentum falters, as critiqued in analyses of his surrealist leanings where surreal elements overwhelm closure.

Filmography

Feature films

  • Under the Shadow (2016): director and writer.
  • Wounds (2019): director.
  • I Came By (2022): director and writer.
  • Hallow Road (2025): director.

Short films and other works

Anvari's earliest short films, produced during his student years in the mid-2000s, include What's Up with Adam? (2005), a exploring a young man's confusion in forming an intimate relationship with a classmate, which he directed. That same year, he directed , a short featuring limited cast and production credits attributed to him as director and producer. In 2007, Anvari wrote and directed Solitary, depicting two female prisoners in adjoining solitary cells who develop a bond communicated through the separating wall, emphasizing themes of isolation and human connection despite physical barriers. His most acclaimed short, Two & Two (2011), co-written with Gavin Cullen and co-produced with Kit Fraser, presents an allegorical narrative set in an authoritarian Iranian school where a teacher declares that equals 5, prompting student unrest and highlighting the absurdities of enforced ideological conformity. The film received a BAFTA nomination for Best Live Action in 2012. No verified television directing or writing credits appear in Anvari's early portfolio beyond these shorts.