A new documentary has former political prisoners reconstructing their experiences of abuse and torture at the hands of Iranian authorities. The film, which sees participants build replicas of their prison cells in Paris warehouses, has drawn attention for its stark portrayal of systematic mistreatment and for its ethically complex production methods.
One subject, a former video equipment entrepreneur wrongly accused of espionage, demonstrates with unsettling composure the various torture techniques used against him. In a significant moment, he briefly takes control of the camera to restage a televised confession he was coerced into giving.
However, the process of re-enactment proves deeply traumatic for others involved. One writer, who suffered years of imprisonment, is visibly overcome with distress upon hearing the sound of coffins being welded—a psychological torment once used by her jailers. The footage captures a moment where her anguish appears to go unnoticed by the film’s director, raising questions about the emotional safeguards in place during filming.
The documentary’s approach has prompted scrutiny over whether the director’s objective—to challenge interrogators through filmed exercises—is a justified artistic pursuit or a naive endeavor that risks re-traumatizing its vulnerable participants. The film’s title is derived from a jailer’s chilling declaration to a prisoner that God does not exist within the prison walls, a statement the testimonies within the film seem to confirm.
