Rasoulof is among the most prominent directors in Iran, although none of his films have been screened in his country, where they are banned.
The Iranian Director Mohammed Rasoulofrecently released from prison in Tehran for criticizing the government on social media, is barred from leaving the country to officiate as a juror in the cannes film festivalreported the international press.
Rasoulof had been jailed on July 8 after publishing an appeal urging Iranian security forces to stop using weapons during protests in May 2023, sparked by a building collapse in the southwestern city of Abadan. He was released in February for health reasons.
According to the specialized portal Variety, without any explanation, the Iranian authorities did not allow him to leave the country to be part of the jury of the Cannes section “Un Certain Regard”. At the moment, no statements were made from the Cannes Film Festival.
For the director, this situation is not new. The Iranian authorities also did not allow her to attend the Berlin festival in 2020 when her daughter Baran Rasoulofprotagonist of the film “There Is No Evil”collected his Golden Bear.
Rasoulof is among the most prominent directors in Iran, although none of his films have been screened in his country, where they are banned.
In 2011, when he won two awards at Cannes for his film “Goodbye”, where he tells the story of an oppressed woman, he was sentenced to six years in prison and a 20-year ban from making films for alleged anti-regime propaganda. His sentence was later suspended and he was released on bail.
In 2017, Iranian authorities confiscated Rasoulof’s passport upon his return from Telluride Film Festivalwhere his film had been screened “A Man of Integrity”about corruption and injustice in Iran.
Source: Ambito
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