Wolf and Sheep (Shahrbanoo Sadat, 2016)
Set in the serene and idyllic hills of rural Afghanistan, Cannes-selected feature Wolf and Sheep ostensibly deals with daily village life, and the politics, customs and traditions that underpin the lives of this farming community. But Shahrbanoo Sadat’s beautiful visual storytelling - in this, her debut feature - encapsulates far more by offering tantalising glimpses of mythological and folkloric characters that materialise in the village at night. This tenuous boundary between reality and myth is wonderfully executed by cinematographer Virginie Surdej’s arresting work in a gentle but affecting look at Afghan pastoral life. Wolf and Sheep quietly and cinematically questions notions of gender, history, culture and modern life in a way that belies its simplicity.
The film will be preceded by short film Mai by Marta González.