Join us for a free screening of the Iranian horror film Under the Shadow (2016) on October 13th, 7:00 PM at the State Theatre

This screening is ONLY in person at the State Theatre in Ann Arbor. Reserve your free tickets here!

THIS WEEK’S FEATURE: Under The Shadow (2016)

2016 | 62 minutes | Persian | Iran

Directed by: Babak Anvari

Halaloween Horror Rating 3/5 - Jump scares, demonic kids, revolutionary misogyny, mother-daughter and husband-wife tension, and violence against furniture as a mom fights to save her child

Film Description: Set in Tehran during the Iran-Iraq War, this movie is celebrated as a meditation on the fallout of the Iranian Revolution from a feminine perspective. A woman and her daughter hunker down in their Tehran apartment during the Iraqi bombardment. Did the missile that struck their building bring a jinn into their lives? In Persian with English subtitles.  

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Welcome to the 8th annual Halaloween: A Muslim Horror Film Festival 2026!

What is Halaloween? Halaloween screens horror films from across the globe that were made by, for, or about Muslims, to understand: “What scares Muslim audiences? Are horror movies halal?”

This year’s 2026 film festival is bringing back some of our favorite films from the past couple of years, and runs throughout October with a different screening & event every week.  Halaloween will start off in Dearborn on Thursday, Oct 8th with a screening of Madayen; head to Ann Arbor for Under the Shadow at the State Theatre on Oct 13 & Tiger Stripes on Oct 20th; then we will have a panel discussion on Grief, Death & Horror films on Oct 27th & we will close out in Detroit for Devil's Night on October 29th. 

The festival is mostly free in-person –but make sure to reserve tickets! In-person screenings will be first-come, first-served with RSVPs strongly encouraged.

We are inclusive of everyone's film needs: from new horror fans who close their eyes through most scary movies, to those who love the gore–we've got films for everyone! Check the Halaloween Horror Rating in the description of each film for its scariness rating and other details.

The 2026 Halaloween Lineup:

• October 8: Madayen | Saudi Arabia | 2016 | 7:00 PM | Arab American National Museum
• October 13: Under the Shadow | Iran | 2016 | 7:00 PM | State Theatre
• October 20: Tiger Stripes | Malaysia | 2023 | 7:00 PM | State Theatre
• October 27: Panel: Fears of the Body: Processing illness, Death, & Loss with Horror Movies | Time & Date TBA
• October 29: Devil's Night Detroit: Halloween Short Films | 7:00 PM | Brooklyn Detroit (Venue)*

*This event is ticketed & not free

RSVP & find out more: watch.eventive.org/halaloween

Halaloween: A Muslim Horror Film Festival is brought to you by the Global Islamic Studies Center and co-sponsored by the Arab American National Museum and the Devil’s Night Detroit.  To watch the remaining Halaloween films, visit watch.eventive.org/halaloween. 

For more events from the Global Islamic Studies Center at the University of Michigan, please visit ii.umich.edu/islamicstudies.

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