Hyena Nightfall

In the desolate southern desert of Baluchistan, near the coast of the Oman Sea, a pregnant young woman embarks on a perilous journey, following her young brother-in-law in the hope to meet of her fugitive criminal husband.
She knows that her brother-in-law is an accomplice of her husband, he is a smuggler on the run, harboring sinister intentions but unbeknownst to her, he plans to exploit the woman's vulnerability, subjecting her to brutal beatings and torture, in an attempt to uncover the truth behind her pregnancy. Convinced that his own brother is not the father, he adheres to tradition and intends to execute her for adultery.
Amidst the relentless onslaught, the woman steadfastly maintains her claim that her pregnancy is indeed the result of her husband's actions. She implores her brother-in-law to seek the truth from her husband, who possesses knowledge of her whereabouts and can corroborate her story.
Frustrated by the fruitless torture and threats, the man finally confesses to the woman that he, himself, was responsible for his brother's untimely demise four months prior. Realizing that his brother couldn't be the father, he plans to carry out the woman's execution by hanging her from a withered tree.
In a moment of revelation, the woman exposes her secret by revealing a cushion hidden beneath her clothing. She explains that her false claim of pregnancy was made out of fear, as powerful figures in the village, including the sheikh, coerced her into remarrying and demanded proof that her husband was still alive.
Though the man now knows the truth about the woman's pregnancy, he believes he has no choice but to carry out her execution, driven by tradition, jealousy, and the fear that she has discovered his role in his brother's demise.
Desperate to escape her impending fate, the woman engages in a fierce struggle as the man attempts to hang her. In a surprising turn of events, she overpowers him, inflicting a fatal blow. As the man faces his imminent demise, he realizes that the woman's true motive throughout this ordeal was to ensnare him and deliver him to the authorities in exchange for a reward.

  • Davoud Zarif
    Writer
    Davoud zarif, Based on the stage play "Hyena Nightfall"
  • Project Type:
    Screenplay, Short Script
  • Genres:
    Mystery
  • Number of Pages:
    7
  • Country of Origin:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Language:
    English
  • First-time Screenwriter:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Writer Biography - Davoud Zarif

Davoud Zarif
Writer / Director
M.F.A in Dramatic literature
Davoud's writings are the result of exploring the areas of dreams and awareness of the subconscious instincts of the human psyche. He has his one-of-a-kind contemplation on myths, which in his works leads to new experiences that are simultaneously familiar.
This way he can expose and challenge the fundamental aspects of reality that cannot be achieved any other way.
In his writings, Davoud conveys different emotions in multiple dimensions. His audience can have the chance to relive their joy, sorrow, anger, jealousy, love, and hate simultaneously.

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Writer Statement

In “Hyena Nightfall”, I demonstrate the complexity of how the same elements that bring a group of people together as an ethnic group in the name of tradition and culture, can also cause suffering in the individual lives of each member of that society.