Hell's Ground ( Zibahkhana )

I just got back from a screening at the Osian's Cinefan film festival. This is a roughly week long film festival in Delhi that highlights only films with Asian and Arab Influence. I went early this week to a dour and drab film adaptation of Anna Karenina. Having already purchased a ticket for tonights show, I decided to head anyway - although I was a bit skeptical after suffering through 2 hours of Khasackstani actors choosing not to emote, rather than act.

Thankfully, tonights show did not disappoint. It honestly, was quite possibly the most enjoyable movie going experience all year for me. I arrived to the Siri Fort Auditorium complex late, although my new friends were holding me a seat. Unfortunately, they wouldn't let me in, so I climbed into the last row of the balcony. It was a sold out spot and I found one of the few remaining seats.
As you can see, the film is all camp. It is a horror flick that roughly follows the typical horror genre. 5 kids lie to their parents, sneak out to go camping against their will, and get stuck in a bad situation where they get picked off one-bone in reverse order of their morality. I won't give away the ending, but we all know it!

This movie has it all, gore, mutants, zombies, backwoods family, and campy dialogue. The best part of this film? The "killer" is a man, wearing a white burka! In the Muslim/Pakistani context, if someone to mask themselves, what better option. After all, a hockey mask would seem terribly out of place. As for the crowd, during the showing the crowd riotous with laughter - as the gore came out - folks would scream in fits of laughter.

Ok, so if you can get your hands on this movie - please do so. The fact that this perfect pitch homage to American gore films came out of Pakistan... YEAH Pakistan! is shocking.

To read an article about the film *and an interview with the director* click here: