Sirát is the fourth film by Óliver Laxe. All his films have premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in different sections. This is the director’s first Cannes competition slot. Set in the deserts of southern Morocco. Luis (Sergi López) and his young son Esteban (Bruno Núñez Arjona) arrive at an illegal rave, searching for their missing daughter/sister, Marina, who vanished months ago. Amid pulsating electronic music and a chaotic atmosphere, they distribute flyers with her photo, clinging to fading hope. When Moroccan authorities shut down the rave, citing a global state of emergency, Luis and Esteban join a group of nomadic ravers—Jade, Tonin, Bigoey, Steffi, and Josh—heading deeper into the desert for another party where Marina might be.

As they traverse the harsh, sun-scorched landscape in a battered bus, the journey gradually takes on a different shape, becoming a surreal, existential odyssey. Blending road-movie grit, apocalyptic tension, and spiritual introspection, the film explores themes of loss, societal collapse, and human resilience. The word Sirát literally means “path” or “way,” but in Islamic eschatology, it refers to a bridge spanning Hell that the righteous must cross to reach paradise. It’s often described as being finer than a hair and sharper than a sword. The director commented that a path has two dimensions: the physical and the metaphysical, or spiritual. He also discussed how, during truly hazardous moments, genuine transformation is indeed possible, for the better.

The aural and visual path of Sirát

Sirát is one of the most sensorial films of the festival. Initially, I was sceptical about the idea of a rave in the desert, since such events have been a go-to method for creating a certain vibe. To quote the director, once again, he said that “sound is born inside the spectator. It’s made of particles already in the body molecules that respond to the vibration of music and come alive.” He also added that working with David Letellier, Kangding Ray, has been a highlight of his career. He felt that he had never had the chance to express himself musically with such precision. One can only agree; the soundscape is nothing short of amazing, with all its rich textures.

Laxe described cinematic images as “burning with fire, and when we see them on a screen, they can pierce us like lightning”. One doesn’t have to make the literal comparison to Fire Will Come (2019) to understand what he is talking about. Mauro Herce is back on board¹He was also involved in Samsara., and once again the film is shot in 16mm. The lensing is characterised by harsh natural lighting and wide shots that emphasise the desert’s vastness. Laxe describes the film’s journey as one where the grain of 16mm film vibrates in sync with the grain and distortion of the music. He aimed to reach a point where we could see music and hear images.

If this review contains more quotes than usual from the director, it is because this is a film that should be experienced, preferably on the largest screen and with the best possible sound system. Also, Laxe descriptions are not full of the customary fluff, but show how carefully he has conceived his film. His latest work is not only the director’s most substantial achievement so far, but also one of the best films of the year. All his previous three films won awards in their respective sections. Sirát won the Jury Prize together with Sound of Falling. As I stated in the piece about the awards, the films deserved more prestigious prizes.

Both films are bound to be screened at several festivals throughout the year.