Saeed Hanaei murdered sixteen prostitutes in the belief he was ridding Iran of ‘corrupt elements’. The press dubbed them ‘spider killings’ because of Hanaei’s habit of luring his victims to his home, and the film looks behind the headlines to reveal a twisted mind forged in a society torn between reformists and religious fanatics. The former seek to steer the country into the 21st century along progressive lines, the latter regard Hanaei’s actions as a fitting antidote to the modern ideas they believe bred the social ills poisoning the Islamic revolution. Exclusive death row interviews with Hanaei and with his family and friends paint a chilling portrait of a serial killer and the world which made him.