Black Rabbit, White Rabbit

Chekhov’s famous dramatic adage – if a gun appears, it must be fired – sets the scene for Shahram Mokri’s audacious latest, set in Tajikistan and replete with his hallmark virtuosic long takes, wry humour and interlinking narratives. A wealthy wife, wrapped in bandages from a car accident, starts to suspect her husband of foul play. On the set of a remake of a classic Iranian film, an experienced armorer fears the prop gun might be real. At an acting audition, a young woman pulls a rabbit out of a hat. These seemingly unrelated stories combine into a playfully intriguing whole, with a healthy dose of magical realism and meta-textuality. Selected for the Official Competition at BFI London Film Festival.