His latest film, The Sacred Fig Seed, will be in competition at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, but he won’t be there: Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof has been sentenced to eight years in prison, including five years of beatings. A fine and confiscation of property, a decision which, moreover, has already been confirmed on appeal. The information does not come from the official Iranian media, but directly from the artist’s lawyer, Mr. Babak Paknia. via post (formerly Twitter).
In May 2022, the 52-year-old director was already banned from leaving Iran to join the Un Certain Regard jury, of which he was supposed to be a member, before being arrested by Iranian authorities in July of that year.
His crime: encouraging demonstrations that took place after a building collapse in the southwestern Iranian city of Abadan that killed more than 40 people. Later, he led a group of Iranian filmmakers and together they published an open letter calling on law enforcement to stop using weapons during protests, denouncing “corruption” and “incompetence”. He was released for health reasons in February 2023.
Mohammad Rasulof
Me Babak Paknia explained that the main reason for his conviction was his client’s public statements, in addition to the filming of films and documentaries, which, according to the court, were “Examples of conspiracy to commit crimes against national security“.
Prior to this verdict, Iranian authorities had been under intense pressure to remove the director Holy fig seed Cannes Film Festival. Mr. Babak Paknia, who is a specialized human rights lawyer, also wrote in a previous post that several actors and producers of the film were also harassed, summoned and interrogated by the authorities who tried to pressure them. to convince Mohammad Rasulof Withdrawal of the film from the festival. They were also banned from leaving the country.
In 2020, the filmmaker was also not allowed to attend the Berlinale. That year it was his daughter Baran Rasuloff who won the Golden Bear on his behalf for the shocking death penalty film There Is No Devil, in which he also appeared.
The Devil Doesn’t Exist can be found on VOD.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
