A gripping first feature from Iranian-Danish director Ali Abbasi, SHELLEY is a hauntingly atmospheric Euro-gothic thriller chronicling the prickly power relationship between a wealthy Danish couple and the young Romanian housekeeper they recruit to give birth to their surrogate child in their remote lakeside home. Although Elena (Cosmina Stratan) initially agrees to the deal, her pregnancy is marked by eerie events that escalate into violence. This is a cryptic but broodingly powerful debut from Abbasi, who went on to earn international acclaim with BORDER (2018), HOLY SPIDER (2022) and his lively Donald Trump biopic THE APPRENTICE (2024).

Shelley

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