Artistic Director of the Golden Apricot Film Festival in Armenia: Jafar Panahi is One of the Greatest Imprisoned Artists of Our Time

Jafar Panahi, the renowned Iranian filmmaker, surprised art lovers by attending the Golden Apricot International Film Festival in Yerevan, Armenia, after approximately 15 years of imprisonment and a ban on filmmaking. This marks Panahi's first appearance at an international festival in recent years, having previously been sentenced to prison, a filmmaking ban, and travel restrictions outside Iran for charges of 'conspiracy, collusion, and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.' Karen Avetisyan, the artistic director of the Golden Apricot Film Festival, told Voice of America: 'After 15 years of imprisonment and various restrictions, Jafar Panahi's time has finally come, and his presence at this festival provides a valuable opportunity to meet this filmmaker outside the borders of Iran.' He continued, 'We decided to turn the centenary of Sergei Parajanov, the late Armenian filmmaker who was imprisoned twice, into an occasion to host Jafar Panahi, one of the greatest imprisoned artists of our time.' At the closing ceremony of the Golden Apricot Film Festival, Panahi received the Parajanov Honorary Medal in recognition of his resilience, resistance, candor, and unwavering commitment to artistic freedom. According to Karen Avetisyan, this award was given to acknowledge Panahi's valuable contributions to world cinema. The Golden Apricot Festival also arranged a special program featuring Panahi, which included a film screening and a Q&A session. This event was moderated by Anton Dolin, a prominent Russian film critic and journalist who fled Russia for political reasons. Dolin, who wrote a book about Panahi's art and cinema during his imprisonment, facilitated the session, providing a suitable platform for Panahi to express his thoughts and views. Panahi pointed out the challenges of filmmaking in Iran, stating that for someone who truly wants to create, there are no limits. He emphasized that he sometimes risks his resources and even his life with his artistic activities in Iran but continues on this path because 'it is worth it.' Karen Avetisyan noted that Armenia, being a crossroads of various cultures and civilizations, can still serve as a small haven for freedom of expression in today's 'autocratic and war-seeking' world. Jafar Panahi is a global figure in Iranian cinema, having received prestigious awards such as the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Festival, the Golden Lion at the Venice Festival, the Golden Bear at the Berlin Festival, and the Golden Camera at the Cannes Festival. Despite all the restrictions and bans on filmmaking, he has continued his artistic activities underground in Iran. The Golden Apricot Film Festival was established in 2004 and has previously hosted great filmmakers such as Marco Bellocchio, Abbas Kiarostami, Darren Aronofsky, Nastassja Kinski, Fanny Ardant, the Dardenne brothers, and Takeshi Kitano.