Next Best Picture Praises Mohsen Gharaei’s Harrowing, Chilling Venice Drama
Following its world premiere in the Orizzonti section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, Mohsen Gharaei‘s Falling House (Moragheb) has drawn strong critical attention. In his review for Next Best Picture, critic Jack Walters calls the Iranian drama “a harrowing, chilling depiction” of a family under pressure, driven by “brilliant performances and bold, ambitious writing.”
A family drama that turns into something darker
Falling House follows a modest family on the outskirts of Tehran whose home is about to be demolished for a vast redevelopment project. Rashid, the father and a prison guard, is accused of corruption just as he discovers that his eldest daughter, Ensi, is secretly planning to leave Iran to become a model.
Walters notes that the film opens as a recognizable family drama before shifting into a tense, claustrophobic portrait of control once Rashid learns of Ensi’s plans. He praises the early scenes for their realism, writing that “the film offers a natural, authentic approach to filmmaking,” and admires how boldly the story commits to its darker turn: “there’s something admirable about how dramatically and abrasively it leans into this tone.”
Performances at the heart of the film
The review gives special attention to the cast. Of Farhad Aslani as Rashid, Walters writes that he “is dominant and ferocious in this lead role,” with a range that helps the audience understand the character without excusing him. Rima Raminfar, who plays Rashid’s wife Zinat, earns some of the review’s highest praise: “Raminfar displays a level of emotional vulnerability that’s truly astonishing.” Laleh Marzban as Ensi and Elena Khakbazan as the younger daughter, Janan complete a cast that Walters credits with keeping the film gripping throughout.
A house that mirrors a family, and a country
Walters reads the condemned house as a mirror of the family’s internal collapse, and the film as a pointed study of domestic control, toxic masculinity and social unrest in contemporary Iran. In his words, the combination of “brilliant performances and bold, ambitious writing help transform this from a by-the-book family drama” into something far more unsettling.
About Falling House
Falling House is written by Mohsen Gharaei and Amirmohammad Abdi and stars Laleh Marzban, Farhad Aslani, Rima Raminfar and Elena Khakbazan. It is produced by Milad Khosravi and Mohsen Gharaei for Seven Springs Pictures along with Odessa Rae (RaeFilm Studio), Amaury Nolasco and Alois Rubenbauer (3SIX9 Studios), in co-production with Uschi and Ansgar for Basis Berlin Filmproduktion and Solmaz Azizi for Zentropa Germany. The film is an Iran, US, and Germany co-production.
Festival Journey up to Now
After Venice, Falling House has also been selected for the Hamburg, Rio, Warsaw and Seville film festivals.
During the Venice premiere, Falling House was reviewed in various journals such as The Guardian, Hollywood Reporter, and Variety. I will write my notes and its summary on Seven Springs Pictures’s website every week for the interested audiences to read.
Read the full review by Jack Walters at Next Best Picture.
Learn more on the Falling House film page, see the film on IMDb, discover Seven Springs’ other 2026 Venice title, Ali Asgari’s A Bit of Light, and read more reviews of our films.