Iranian filmmaker Ali Asgari is returning to the Venice Film Festival with his latest feature “A Bit of Light,” marking his first selection for the festival’s main competition. Asgari previously presented the dark comedy “Divine Comedy” in Venice’s Horizons section last year. The new film will be distributed internationally by French sales company Salaud Morisset and released in Italy through Teodora Film Distribuzione.
“A Bit of Light” is set in contemporary Iran and centers on a physician whose medical practice is shut down following his arrest. Facing despair about the future, the protagonist plans to end his life but spends his final day with family members—his siblings and mother—whose affection gradually restores his will to live. A newly released clip from the film captures an exchange between the doctor and someone assisting him as helicopter sounds echo overhead, with dialogue referencing external political threats to the region.
The production features actors Misagh Zareh, Sadaf Asgari, Forouzan Jamshidnejad, Ramtin Daghigh, and Mina Rahimzadeh. This represents Asgari’s sixth feature film, following previous works that have screened at major festivals including Berlin, Cannes, and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. The director emphasized themes of human connection and resilience in his statement about the film, which explores how relationships sustain individuals through hardship and uncertainty.
Originally reported by Variety →
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