Zar Amir Ebrahimi to star in ‘Lili,’ First Video Game Adaptation from The Royal Shakespeare Company

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The Iranian actress and director Zar Amir Ebrahimi, known for movies like “Holy Spider” and “Tatami,” is set to take on the role of Lady Macbeth in a new interactive video game titled “Lili.” This game is being jointly produced by the esteemed Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and New York-based independent video game studio iNK Stories. Ebrahimi’s Paris-based production company, Alambic Production, will also be a part of this collaboration. Notably, “Lili” will mark the RSC’s first foray into video game production.

In this innovative adaptation of Shakespeare’s timeless play, Ebrahimi takes on the role of Lady Macbeth, known here as Lili. The setting is a visually striking, contemporary Iran with a neo-noir twist, where privacy is scarce and the all-seeing government intrudes into everyday life. The gameplay combines live-action cinematography with an interactive element, allowing players to influence Lili’s fate by making crucial decisions. In this version, Macbeth’s witches are portrayed as hackers, while surveillance cameras, cyber-tools, and infiltration techniques serve as immersive game elements.

Lili’s adaptation delves into Shakespearean themes of political ambition, personal compromise, and the corruption of human lives under authoritarian rule, but sets them in modern-day Iran. Emma Smith, a renowned Shakespeare scholar and member of the RSC Board who contributed to the game’s text adaptation, described it as “remarkably Shakespearean, yet strikingly refreshed.” Contrary to the common assumption that Shakespeare would be writing for movies if he were alive today, Lili convincingly demonstrates – he’d be creating for video games.

In their perspective, modern gaming serves a role similar to traditional theater has always done – it offers an opportunity to delve into different realms, embody narratives, and encounter shared yet intimate experiences. The production titled “Lili” mirrors these impacts on viewers. By placing this suspenseful drama around Lady Macbeth rather than her spouse, the creators have made a daring and transformative choice. This twist causes the play’s themes of gender, identity, and power to be flipped upside down.

2022 saw Ebrahimi receiving the Best Actress award at Cannes for her role in “Holy Spider” directed by Ali Abbasi. In 2023, she switched roles and collaborated with Israeli director Guy Nattiv to co-direct the sports thriller titled “Tatami.”

Ebrahimi won the Best Actress prize at Cannes in 2022 for her role in “Holy Spider” directed by Ali Abbasi. She then moved from in front of the camera to behind it in 2023, teaming up with Israeli filmmaker Guy Nattiv to co-direct the sports thriller “Tatami.

1979 Revolution: Black Friday, a prize-winning interactive adventure by iNK Studios, puts you in charge of an ambitious photojournalist’s journey. This character returns to Iran during the heat of the Iranian Revolution, a role that earned the game numerous accolades upon its 2016 release. The game was exhibited at both the Sundance and SXSW film festivals.

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iNK Studios gained recognition for their critically-acclaimed game, 1979 Revolution: Black Friday. This interactive adventure allows you to direct an aspiring photojournalist’s return to Iran amidst the Iranian Revolution in 2016. The game garnered multiple awards and was displayed at both the Sundance and SXSW film festivals.

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Known for its award-winning title, 1979 Revolution: Black Friday, iNK Studios offers an interactive adventure where you control a returning Iranian photojournalist during the Iranian Revolution. Launched in 2016, the game collected numerous awards and was showcased at both the Sundance and SXSW film festivals.

Lili is being worked on at the moment and is expected to be launched later in the year, appearing on various video game platforms.

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2025-01-23 08:24