Sirat

This is one of those movies where multiple characters just keep making poor decisions. You want them to come to their senses, but their journey is the point.

Here's a group of broken people dealing with trauma in a way most of us would find alarming (to say the least).

But it's not just that. There's a hypnotic, pulsating energy throughout due to the amazing score and tight pacing. The desert of Morocco, which is the setting for the entire film, is unassuming until it's not.

You're left wondering about these people, what came before and what comes after. There are no easy explanations here, but the sense of danger certainly makes you feel alive.

This is a really great music video with awful dialogues. Like, honesty, if this was mute I'd give it a 9/10. But if you're a native Spanish speaker it just feels so fake. Like, why are the French people speaking Spanish among themselves? The text is redundant, it's just repeating what you see on the screen, it lacks depth, the Spanish deliveries on native Spanish actors are awful. They just sound super fake.

I mean, I really made an effort to like the movie, the music was a banger, cinematography and costume design were spot on, the side characters were awesome too. But I would just get so thrown off by the dialogues that I'd loose the immersion. And it sucks.

"Oh, it's a new concept, a rave movie, you have to feel the vibe." But what kind of vibe does this movie actually give us? In the beginning, I was expecting a strong plot development: a father and his son desperately searching for a missing daughter. That setup had potential for suspense and emotional depth. Instead, the movie suddenly derails into nonsensical filmography filled with random, poorly executed deaths that add nothing to the story. The supposed "rave vibe" is just chaotic editing, flashing lights, and hollow noise that never manages to immerse you. And then it all ends abruptly, with no resolution, no explanation, and no sense of closure.

Married coupled with hectic lives and busy agendas might recognize this scenario. My wife and I unexpectedly had the occasion to go to the cinema without our children, but it was very last-minute on a Saturday night. The only reasonably comfortable seats that were still available were for either an undemanding but nasty horror flick ("Clown in a Cornfield") or for the undoubtedly superior but obviously anti-entertaining and mentally devastating "Sirât". The partner doesn't want to see any spooky clowns on the big screen, so we went for Cannes' Jury Prize winning drama "Sirât".

Evidently, "Sirât" is a great film. It even is a marvelous, mesmerizing, and truly unforgettable film, but - oh dear God - how miserable and depressed can just one film make you feel?!? Of course you know from beforehand it won't be a feelgood comedy, but still I wasn't sufficiently prepared for the type of uncomfortably slow-paced, painfully realistic, and emotionally exhausting movie we watched. And yet, it's also one of the most beautiful (in terms of locations & cinematography) and rhythmically pounding (the techno soundtrack) movies we watched in a long time.

"Sirât" begins with a long - very long - sequence at an illegal rave in Morocco, on the border of the Sahara Desert. The preparation for the event, and the rave itself, are depicted without any dialogue but the music and the extended footage of approximately 100-150 people dancing puts you right in the middle. Strolling through the masses, a middle-aged father and his son are looking for their daughter/sister who's been missing for five months. When the rave is rudely ended by army forces, the father (Louis) and son (Esteban) join the organizers of the rave on their trip to the opposite side of the desert, to Mauretania, where another illegal party will be held. Louis' vehicle is clearly not fit for the trip. Louis and Esteban themselves are clearly not fit for the trip. The pack of ravers clearly also underestimated the unpredictability and hazards of the trip... And did I mention that ominous news bulletins on the radio in the background suggest that World War III broke out?

Like an impeccable master, writer/director Oliver Laxe messes and toys around with the viewers' patience, emotions, and deepest fears. It's the kind of film where nothing relevant happens for long periods of time, just vehicles driving or characters staring into the unknown, but your brain nevertheless remains alert and your senses work overtime. It's also the type of film where you squirm in your seat because you sense something tragic is about to happen, but then ... doesn't. Yet, when you least suspect it, something far worse than you could have imagined happens! Laxe pulls off this trick three, four times until you're left behind utterly shocked & perplexed when the end credits start rolling. "Sirât" is a unique film. Beautiful, haunting, thought-provoking, saddening, ... unforgettable. Perhaps not the type of motion picture you wish to see after a long and stressful week, or in case you're already in agony with regards to everything that is happening in this miserable world, but a masterwork nonetheless.

Mehdi Salehi Film Critic - Editor-in-Chief of "Green Smile" News Website (Iran(

Oliver Laxe's fourth feature film, Sirât, marks not only his brilliant debut in the Cannes Film Festival's main competition but also stands as his boldest and most evolved work to date. This Spanish-French co-production traces a surreal, profoundly existential journey through Morocco's harsh yet majestic desert landscapes-a work that challenges cinematic conventions while confronting viewers with fundamental questions about life, death, hope, and civilizational collapse.

Synopsis and Narrative Structure Luis (masterfully portrayed by Sergi López) and his teenage son Esteban (Bruno Núñez) search for their missing daughter/sister "Mar" at an illegal rave deep in the Moroccan desert. When military forces abruptly shut down the gathering amid apocalyptic warnings of global war, they join a band of nomadic ravers-Jade (Jade Oaked), Tonin (Tonin Janvier), Bigoey (Richard Blamy), Steffi (Stefania Gadda), and Josh (Joshua Liam Henderson)-who seek another rave further into the desert where Mar might be found.

The film's first half unfolds at a measured pace, blending dark comedy and drama as human connections form within this makeshift "family." A devastating mid-film turning point-a catastrophic accident and its aftermath-shatters this equilibrium. From here, *Sirât* descends into darker existential and allegorical territory, where characters confront death, madness, and societal ruin while grappling for survival.

Artistic Mastery

• Direction & Suspense: Laxe demonstrates masterful control of space, rhythm, and tension, expanding the suspense techniques of his 2019 film Fire Will Come on a grander scale. His ability to sustain escalating dread despite radical tonal/genre shifts culminates in a simultaneously absurd and harrowing climax.

• Cinematography: Mauro Herce's lens captures Morocco's deserts (and Spanish stand-ins) with breathtaking yet menacing beauty. Wide shots, harsh natural lighting, and Super 16mm textures shine in scenes like the speaker-setup under ochre cliffs and the convoy's nocturnal journey.

• Sound & Music: Kangding Ray's bass-driven electronic score-Cannes' 2025 Best Soundtrack winner-anchors the film like a pounding heartbeat, mirroring rave euphoria and the characters' spiral into delirium. Laia Casanova's sound design layers ambient desert noise (wind, sand, engine roars) into an immersive sonic tapestry.

• Performances: López delivers a physically expressive, quietly commanding turn as Luis. Non-professional actors (often sharing their characters' names) authentically embody sun-scorched, marginalized resilience, with Blamy and Oaked standing out. Núñez radiates fragile innocence as Esteban.

Themes and Symbolism

• The "Sirât" Bridge: The title references the razor-thin Islamic bridge between paradise and hell-a metaphor for characters navigating hope/despair, sanity/madness, and civilization/barbarism.

• Existential Quest: Luis' search for Mar evolves into a struggle for meaning and belonging in a collapsing world. The film poses unanswerable questions: What remains when we lose everything? Animal instinct? Angelic grace? Human dignity?

• Apocalypse as Allegory: The war-torn backdrop mirrors modern instability and refugee crises, with the group's perilous journey evoking migrants' desperate quests for safety.

• Collectivism vs. Chaos :The ravers represent a post-apocalyptic micro-utopia built on communal joy-a vision both seductive and fragile against external and internal chaos.

Narrative Audacity and Flaws The film's radical mid-point genre shift-from road drama to existential horror-shocks viewers into recontextualizing all prior events. While this narrative gamble showcases Laxe's confidence, it also exposes weaknesses: 1. Third-Act Disjointedness: Focus on allegory overshadows plot coherence, sidelining Mar's storyline.

2. Exhausting Violence: Relentless tragedy in the second half risks numbing viewers and veering into exploitation.

3. Underdeveloped Characters: Prioritizing atmosphere over psychology leaves motivations unexplored.

4. Problematic Gaze: Portrayals of Morocco occasionally echo colonial perspectives despite Laxe's familiarity with the region.

5. Unsatisfying Closure: The ambiguous, bleak ending may frustrate mainstream audiences.

Legacy and Significance Sirât epitomizes Laxe's signature style-poetic realism, social-existential themes, non-professional actors, and audacious formal experimentation. Technically superior to earlier works like »You All Are Captains (2010)«, »Mimosas (2016)«, and »Fire Will Come (2019)«, it solidifies his artistic maturity. As Laxe himself notes, this is his most politically radical work: a ruthless deconstruction of societal collapse, human violence, and migration crises through narrative subversion.

Blending European arthouse sensibilities with road-movie grit, apocalyptic tension, electronic energy, and Hollywood-esque thrills (Mad Max, Sorcerer), Sirât carves a distinct cinematic identity. Its haunting power lingers long after the credits-an uncompromising demand to confront darkness through unfiltered vision.

Footnotes Existentialism*: A philosophy emphasizing individual existence, absolute freedom, and personal responsibility. It posits that humans define their essence through choices in an inherently meaningless world, embracing anxiety to live authentically.

Raves*: Underground parties organized by DJs requiring personal referrals. Attendees pay entry fees, and recreational drug use is prevalent.