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Academic Faces Family Secrets and Personal Turmoil in 'The Things You Kill'

11/16/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Things You Kill, directed by Alireza Khatami, follows Ali, an academic in Turkey, as he faces personal and familial pressures.
He risks losing his teaching position, struggles with infertility, and cares for his aging mother, who dies from a head injury.
Ali questions his mother's death, suspecting neglect by his father, as the film blends thriller elements with surreal visuals and draws from Luis Buñuel and David Lynch.

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Story summary

The Things You Kill, directed by Alireza Khatami, follows Ali, an academic in Turkey, as he faces personal and familial pressures.
He risks losing his teaching position, struggles with infertility, and cares for his aging mother, who dies from a head injury.
Ali questions his mother's death, suspecting neglect by his father, as the film blends thriller elements with surreal visuals and draws from Luis Buñuel and David Lynch.