Iranian Filmmaker Defends Cast and Crew Amidst Government Accusations

Mohammad Rasoulof, director of the Oscar-nominated film "The Seed of the Sacred Fig," has expressed his support for his cast and crew members who face allegations of "spreading immorality and propaganda" against the Iranian regime.

Recently, actress Soheila Golestani was barred from leaving the country, preventing her from serving on a jury at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). At the festival, Rasoulof suggested that the government might be "waiting to announce the verdict" after the Oscars, where the film is nominated for Best International Feature.

"The whole situation pacified the community because you are in a state of waiting," Rasoulof stated. "Filmmakers are always in danger... Their courage is very contagious. They become inspirational for others to also take routes going beyond those paved by the government."

Rasoulof recalled his own struggles, which eventually forced him to flee Iran last year. "I'm not the first person to be faced with [government oppression] and I won't be the last," he said.

Despite the risks, Rasoulof and his crew decided to make "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" without permission. "We decided to make it happen," he said. "I was concerned about the danger I would put them in. The 'Women Life Freedom' uprising gave my colleagues the bravery required to step into this project."

Rasoulof acknowledged the challenges of working within a repressive regime. "In Iran... if you dare to make a film that's very direct, it's looked down upon and not perceived as poetic enough," he explained. "I started telling stories in more direct ways... Even if I decide to work with metaphors and symbols again, I want it to be a choice made out of bravery."

Other filmmakers at IFFR also discussed the challenges of making films in oppressive environments. Erhan Örs, co-director of "Seen Unseen: An Anthology of (Auto)Censorship," was denied a visa to attend the festival for "completely inexplicable reasons."

In Turkey, "there's censorship of financing... of ideas and identities," said Örs' co-director, Fırat Yücel. "You can make a film, screen it and nothing happens, or be sentenced to jail."

Italy's Pier Giorgio Bellocchio also discussed the changes in his country. "In Italy, we have a far-right government," he said. "They try to change laws that have to do with financing of films... You can make films about gay issues, immigrants or fascists taking over the government. But since 2024, the government has blocked tax credit funding for 14 months."

Argentinian director Albertina Carri noted the similarities. "We've modified the ways of production and the language with which we were producing and narrating the stories," she said. "The objective is to destroy national production."

"In the Netherlands, we don't talk about systemic racism and xenophobia... I've seen a lot of self-censorship here too," observed Yücel.