Defies genre.

It's so smart, meticulous and fresh that I can only hope it marks the beginning of a provocative new franchise.

Like a mosaic of shimmering fragments that do not compose a bigger picture, Ana Lily Amirpour's debut feature brims with stylised qualities that have been prioritised over story and characters.

Amirpour fuses cultural influences from Islam, Americana, and cinema into an inspired mixture, where everything seems vaguely familiar yet also original in her synthesis. Often, familiar situations occur, but Amirpour’s camera adds a distinct perspective.