This is undoubtedly the wildest (and most terrifying) story in the world of film at the moment. Iranian film director, Mohammad Rasoulof, was recently sentenced to eight years in prison with years of flogging (yikes!) and an egregious fine, on behalf of his film The Seed of The Sacred Fig, which is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this week.
The filmmaker has been a fierce critic of his government for years, and the timing of his punishment is rumoured to be due to his film premiering at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival this week.
The film, which was made entirely in secret, was only recently added to the competition’s lineup last month. But with Rasoulof fleeing Iran, it is doubtful whether or not he will be able to attend the festival in person at all.
Plot-wise, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is about a judge rallying against Iran’s Revolutionary Court during nationwide protests, who eventually succumbs to paranoia after losing his gun. But Rasoulof is no stranger to the historic film festival, with three previous films, Goodbye (2011), Manuscripts Don’t Burn (2013) and A Man of Integrity (2017) all having screened in the festival’s ‘Un Certain Regard‘ category.
Rasoulouf has been banned from leaving Iran since 2017, and served a prison sentence from July 2022 to February 2023, having been released early on behalf of general amnesty for thousands of prisoners in Iran following continuous uproar and protests from the public.
Rasoulouf has been vehemently outspoken over the death of Mahsa Amini who died while in jail for not properly wearing her hijab, along with the Abadan building collapse in which a rumoured 50 people were killed. Rasoulof was recently informed of a new case having been filed against him, this time regarding his previous projects There Is No Evil, which was viewed as provocative and controversial.
In a statement released over the last 24-hours, from a covert location, Rasoulouf spoke of the treatment of his Iranian filmmaking team, beseeching the international film community for “effective support.” His entire statement below:
I arrived in Europe a few days ago after a long and complicated journey.
About a month ago, my lawyers informed me that my eight-year prison sentence was confirmed in the court of appeal and would be implemented on short notice. Knowing that the news of my new film would be revealed very soon, I knew that without a doubt, a new sentence would be added to these eight years. I didn’t have much time to make a decision. I had to choose between prison and leaving Iran. With a heavy heart, I chose exile. The Islamic Republic confiscated my passport in September 2017. Therefore, I had to leave Iran secretly.
Of course, I strongly object to the unjust recent ruling against me that forces me into exile. However, the judicial system of the Islamic Republic has issued so many cruel and strange decisions that I do not feel it is my place to complain about my sentence. Death sentences are being executed as the Islamic Republic has targeted the lives of protesters and civil rights activists. It’s hard to believe, but right now as I’m writing this, the young rapper, Toomaj Salehi is held in prison and has been sentenced to death. The scope and intensity of repression has reached a point of brutality where people expect news of another heinous government crime every day. The criminal machine of the Islamic Republic is continuously and systematically violating human rights.
Before the Islamic Republic’s intelligence services were informed about my film’s production, a number of the actors managed to leave Iran. However, many of the actors and agents of the film are still in Iran and the intelligence system is pressuring them. They have been put through lengthy interrogations. The families of some of them were summoned and threatened. Due to their appearance in this movie, court cases were filed against them, and they were banned from leaving the country. They raided the office of the cinematographer, and all his work equipment was taken away. They also prevented the film’s sound engineer from traveling to Canada. During the interrogations of the film crew, the intelligence forces asked them to pressure me to withdraw the film from the Cannes Festival. They were trying to convince the film crew that they were not aware of the film’s story and that they had been manipulated into participating in the project.
Despite the vast limitations I and my colleagues and friends faced while making the film, I tried to achieve a cinematic narrative that is far from the narrative dominated by the censorship in the Islamic Republic, and closer to its reality. I have no doubt that restricting and suppressing freedom of expression cannot be justified even if it becomes a spur for creativity, but when there is no way, a way must be made.
The world’s cinema community must ensure effective support for the makers of such films. Freedom of speech should be defended, loudly and clearly. People who courageously and selflessly confront censorship instead of supporting it are reassured of the importance of their actions by the support of international film organizations. As I know from personal experience, it can be an invaluable help for them to continue their vital work.
Many people helped to make this film. My thoughts are with all of them, and I fear for their safety and well-being.
With the start of the Cannes Film Festival this week, the rest of this story continues to unfold. Stay tuned for more updates.
