1001 Frames (2025)
In film, it often seems like there is a clear and distinct line between reality and fiction. Narrative features, after all, are works of fiction with scripted performances and the illusion of an actor bringing to life a person who they themselves are not. This respected and known boundary appears to offer the audience a level of safety and distance; it allows the audience to compartmentalize the content of the film as fiction, something separate from the reality the audience is actively existing in. However, there is a list of ambitious films that seek to murk this divide, to play with the audience's expectations and question the strength of this divide. Screening as part of AFI Fest 2025, Mehrnoush Alia's feature debut, 1001 Frames, does exactly this.
1001 Frames positions the audience from a static perspective, that of the video camera recording the individual auditions of a handful of female actors who are trying to get the role of Scheherazade in an adaptation of “A Thousand and One Nights”. The film is being made by a well-known male director (Mohammad Aghebati), and the film starts casually. The audience sits, watching a bare room where the only movement, color, or light are the women sitting in the frame, trying to get the part. As the auditions continue over the film's 87-minute runtime, the requests of the director and the dynamic between him and these actresses grow more aggressive and dark. Tensions rise as the audience is forced to watch the conversation grow progressively uncomfortable.
Naturally, 1001 Frames is quite a challenging feature that acts abrasively towards the audience. The frame is filled with emptiness, the camera refuses to be dynamic, and the scene being played out is increasingly hard to watch. What adds to this tension is how real the film projects itself to be. There are no flashy camera tricks to remind the audience of that divide between reality and fiction; there are none of the typical production elements that create a scene heightened from reality. 1001 Frames plays more like a stage production, but refuses to even have the divide that theater allows, as the actor projects to an entire room. In 1001 Frames, the women are often looking right at the camera, with hope in their eyes at possibly getting the part and fear of what is developing around them. The audience is forced to be a bystander to this, and it is impossible not to be drawn deeper and deeper into the film and its descent.
In this way, 1001 Frames is a haunting reminder of the real-life horrors that have plagued the entertainment industry. Even as the audience reminds themselves that what they are watching is fiction, the knowledge that this type of event has happened over and over again quickly sinks the audience back down into their seats. As a piece of activism, 1001 Frames could not be more poignant or venomous. It is a chilling reminder of the haunting nature of the abuse, sexism, and objectification that so many women have had to endure. 1001 Frames is a feminist text that could only be born from a place of authentic understanding about the power dynamics of gender, and Mehrnoush Alia's script is one of the best of the year.
It also cannot be overstated just how incredible the ensemble cast throughout the film is. It is their power and their emotion that command the screen and keep the audience invested, even against such a static cinematic backdrop. Every frame of the film is defined by their ability and skill, with there not being a single weak voice on screen. Giving the director a voice, Aghebati is also flawless. Even as the emotions rise, he remains collected and controlling. There is something incredibly unnerving in the way he doesn't raise his voice or escalate, acting as casually as one could be in this situation.
Just as the film reaches its climax, it makes the daring move to turn everything on its head. The tension of the film finally bursts, and the film makes a bold jump that lands completely. Without overshadowing what came before it, instead reinforcing the film's themes and adding a new rich level of thought, the film again takes a swing at playing with the boundary between reality and fiction, and the results are masterful. It is clear that the vision behind 1001 Frames is one that is clean and focused. Every aspect of the feature has been crafted, and every choice is thoughtfully selected. The film knows just how and when to jump, never knocking itself over or betraying the power it has built.
While 1001 Frames is a challenging feature, it is absolutely one worth experiencing. Especially for a feature debut, the film is marvelously crafted and clean. It delivers a relevant and poignant message while also playing around with the concept of narrative and not being afraid to push the audience's expectations.
1001 Frames positions the audience from a static perspective, that of the video camera recording the individual auditions of a handful of female actors who are trying to get the role of Scheherazade in an adaptation of “A Thousand and One Nights”. The film is being made by a well-known male director (Mohammad Aghebati), and the film starts casually. The audience sits, watching a bare room where the only movement, color, or light are the women sitting in the frame, trying to get the part. As the auditions continue over the film's 87-minute runtime, the requests of the director and the dynamic between him and these actresses grow more aggressive and dark. Tensions rise as the audience is forced to watch the conversation grow progressively uncomfortable.
Naturally, 1001 Frames is quite a challenging feature that acts abrasively towards the audience. The frame is filled with emptiness, the camera refuses to be dynamic, and the scene being played out is increasingly hard to watch. What adds to this tension is how real the film projects itself to be. There are no flashy camera tricks to remind the audience of that divide between reality and fiction; there are none of the typical production elements that create a scene heightened from reality. 1001 Frames plays more like a stage production, but refuses to even have the divide that theater allows, as the actor projects to an entire room. In 1001 Frames, the women are often looking right at the camera, with hope in their eyes at possibly getting the part and fear of what is developing around them. The audience is forced to be a bystander to this, and it is impossible not to be drawn deeper and deeper into the film and its descent.
In this way, 1001 Frames is a haunting reminder of the real-life horrors that have plagued the entertainment industry. Even as the audience reminds themselves that what they are watching is fiction, the knowledge that this type of event has happened over and over again quickly sinks the audience back down into their seats. As a piece of activism, 1001 Frames could not be more poignant or venomous. It is a chilling reminder of the haunting nature of the abuse, sexism, and objectification that so many women have had to endure. 1001 Frames is a feminist text that could only be born from a place of authentic understanding about the power dynamics of gender, and Mehrnoush Alia's script is one of the best of the year.
It also cannot be overstated just how incredible the ensemble cast throughout the film is. It is their power and their emotion that command the screen and keep the audience invested, even against such a static cinematic backdrop. Every frame of the film is defined by their ability and skill, with there not being a single weak voice on screen. Giving the director a voice, Aghebati is also flawless. Even as the emotions rise, he remains collected and controlling. There is something incredibly unnerving in the way he doesn't raise his voice or escalate, acting as casually as one could be in this situation.
Just as the film reaches its climax, it makes the daring move to turn everything on its head. The tension of the film finally bursts, and the film makes a bold jump that lands completely. Without overshadowing what came before it, instead reinforcing the film's themes and adding a new rich level of thought, the film again takes a swing at playing with the boundary between reality and fiction, and the results are masterful. It is clear that the vision behind 1001 Frames is one that is clean and focused. Every aspect of the feature has been crafted, and every choice is thoughtfully selected. The film knows just how and when to jump, never knocking itself over or betraying the power it has built.
While 1001 Frames is a challenging feature, it is absolutely one worth experiencing. Especially for a feature debut, the film is marvelously crafted and clean. It delivers a relevant and poignant message while also playing around with the concept of narrative and not being afraid to push the audience's expectations.