A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

A vampire anti-hero delivers justice in a desolate Iranian town in this haunting horror-noir.

Set in the fictional, desolate Iranian town of ‘Bad City’, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is a visually striking and atmospheric film that blends elements of horror, Westerns, and noir with a distinctly feminist edge. The film follows a mysterious young woman, simply known as "The Girl" (played by Sheila Vand), who prowls the streets at night as a vampire, targeting those who prey on others.

The Girl embodies many of the classic traits of the anthihero archetype. She is morally ambiguous, balancing acts of violence with moments of tenderness. While she engages in predatory behaviour, her victims – drug dealers, pimps, and other oppressive figures – reflect a darker sense of justice. Unlike traditional heroes, she follows her own moral code, driven by vengeance and survival, rather than altruism.

The Girl challenges traditional notions of femininity and heroism assuming a protector role in a world dominated by toxic masculinity. She’s neither fully monster nor saviour, existing in the grey areas of good and evil in this haunting and unconventional story.

– Professor Angela Ndalianis, Professor Emeritus, Centre for Transformative Media Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology