Hollywood Reporter Report on the Challenges of Making and Editing the Film 'Fig Seed of Temples'

The prestigious publication 'Hollywood Reporter' has released a detailed report on the challenges of making the film 'Fig Seed of Temples' by Mohammad Rasoulof in Iran and the difficulties of exporting images from the country, coinciding with its release in the United States. This film, made in protest against the Islamic Republic regime, has faced numerous risks. Rasoulof was forced to leave the country after completing the project due to the danger of arrest or worse. Among the challenges mentioned in the report was that filming locations were usually sent to actors and a small group of crew members just hours before work began. Mani Tilgner, one of the producers, told 'Hollywood Reporter' that sometimes production was halted, and crew members would arrive but had to disperse quickly because producers had spotted suspicious individuals nearby, making work on that day very dangerous. The report also describes how street scenes could only be filmed with extreme caution, and typically only scenes related to mandatory hijab were filmed, which has become a symbol in the fight for freedom and modernity. Mahsa Rostami, who plays the role of Rezvan, told 'Hollywood Reporter' that this sometimes created ridiculous situations. She recounted, 'Once we were filming hijab scenes when some people passed by and said: Look at this weak government production... no one is going to watch it.' Rostami thought at that moment, 'If they knew what kind of film this is!' She also mentioned that although she was afraid of acting in this film, the anger she felt about the situation was much greater. 'Hollywood Reporter' explains how Mr. Rasoulof found an innovative solution to circumvent the problem of filming protest scenes that included women without hijabs by using real footage from the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests, which not only seemed more authentic but also reduced the risk of arrest for actors and halted production. The report also touches on the challenges of exporting footage from the country for editing. Mr. Rasoulof worked with Andrew Bird, who resides in Berlin, for editing. Bird told 'Hollywood Reporter', 'Sometimes I didn't know where the film was, or if there was even a film at all.' He mentioned that it wasn't the case that the footage was sent to his email. The report states that the filmmakers try to stay digitally ahead of the censors and intelligence agents of the Islamic Republic regime. The film 'Fig Seed of Temples' won the Jury Prize at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in June 2023. After receiving this award, Mr. Rasoulof, in an exclusive interview with Voice of America, pointed out that the film 'Fig Seed of Temples' is about subservience, adding that the film's temporal context is about creating doubt in subservience and breaking the cycle that the political current has created in this era. Mr. Rasoulof added, 'I wanted to say that Generation Z no longer accepts those rules, and the Islamic Republic, despite everything it does, has no way to impose restrictions anymore.' Germany also sent the film 'Fig Seed of Temples' by the renowned Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof as its representative to the Academy Awards on the first day of September. This work will compete for an award in the international or non-English language category at the 97th Academy Awards. 'Fig Seed of Temples' tells the story of a Tehran Revolutionary Court investigating judge named 'Iman' who suffers from distrust and paranoia. This film was secretly made in Iran. Mohammad Rasoulof was forced to leave Iran after being sentenced to eight years in prison by the Islamic Republic. The company 'Neon' will release the film 'Fig Seed of Temples' in the United States on December 7. The film 'Fig Seed of Temples' has been nominated for three European Film Academy awards. Soheila Golestani, an actress in 'Fig Seed of Temples', was nominated for the Best Actress award at the Asia Pacific Awards. Mohammad Rasoulof stated at the Busan Festival: 'I will make films in any condition and anywhere.' The Overseas Artists Association urged the Oscars to pay attention to underground filmmakers in Iran. The success of Nader Saei Var's 'Witness' at the Venice Festival; the award was dedicated to 'Brave Women of Iran' and Jafar Panahi. The screening of Nader Saei Var's 'Witness' at the Venice Festival; a film made without adhering to mandatory hijab laws in Iran.