‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ Actor Banned From Leaving Iran

Soheila Golestani, the Iranian actor who stars in Mohammad Rasoulof’s Oscar-nominated drama “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” has been banned from leaving Iran to serve at the Tiger Festival jury at this yr’s Global Movie Pageant Rotterdam. Pageant director Vanja Kaludjercic spoke in opposition to the trip ban on Friday, announcing the pageant workforce is “saddened however no longer stunned” that the actor has been forbidden from leaving Iran. 

“Having noticed Mohammad’s adventure with this necessary mission is to have witnessed over and over the actual penalties of talking reality to energy,” persevered Kaludjercic, regarding Rasoulof’s movie, which gained the Jury Particular Prize at Cannes. “Mohammad joins us [at Rotterdam film festival] each to proportion his movie and likewise take part on a panel about cinema within the face of a upward push of authoritarianism — and Soheila’s revel in underscores how actual and pressing those problems are.”

She added: “We stand together with her in unity and hope that she is supported via the worldwide movie neighborhood presently — as she is the sufferer of oppression and a backlash for talking out that many artists know all too neatly.”

Selection understands that Rasoulof remains to be scheduled to look on the pageant, no longer best in strengthen of “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” however as a different visitor and speaker at a Tiger Communicate titled “Cinema and the Upward push of Authoritarianism” held in partnership with the Global Coalition for Filmmakers at Chance, of which IFFR is a founding member in conjunction with IDFA and the Eu Movie Academy. Different audio system come with Albertina Carri, Pier Giorgio Bellocchio and Erhan Örs. The controversy is scheduled for Feb. 3. 

Golestani used to be to have served at the Tiger Festival jury along British director Peter Strickland, Indonesian manufacturer and filmmaker Yuki Aditya, Hong Kong singer and actress Winnie Lau, and German artist and filmmaker Andrea Luka Zimmerman. 

Rasoulof fled his house nation of Iran for Germany closing yr after being sentenced to 8 years in jail via the rustic’s government, who careworn him to drag “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” from the Cannes Movie Pageant and pressured the movie’s manufacturers and actors. The filmmaker remains to be sought after via government. 

As for Golestani, the costs aren’t but transparent. Selection realized the actor is recently accused of propaganda in opposition to the Iranian regime and selling immorality via her function in Rasoulof’s newest. The courtroom case has been held however no verdict has been issued but. Golestani has additionally no longer but launched an authentic remark.