Independent Filmmakers Association of Iran: The Human and Justice-Seeking Movement of 'Women, Life, Freedom' is Unstoppable

The Independent Filmmakers Association of Iran (IFMA) stated in a statement on Friday, September 14, ahead of the second anniversary of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests in Iran, that despite government repression, 'followers of this human and justice-seeking movement are finding new forms of resistance every day that are no longer suppressible.' The statement notes that 'in the twenty-four months since the murder of Mahsa, how old have Hadis, Nikan, Sarina, Siavash, Abolfazl, Khodanour, Mohammad Mehdi, Mohsen, Majid Reza, Mona, Kian, and others become? Eternity knows no months or years; the beautiful and young lives of all of them became the essence of a unique and authentic uprising in Iran.' IFMA added: 'The epic that Iranian women and men created in protest against the crimes of the religious autocratic government was recorded by the mobile phones of Iranian youth and teenagers, and the world was shaken by those shocking images.' The Independent Filmmakers Association of Iran pointed out that since the beginning of the nationwide protests in Iran, the Islamic Republic has tried to suppress the 'Women, Life, Freedom' uprising with 'more brutal' methods than before, including imprisonment, blinding and paralyzing, poisoning, rape, execution, and murder. However, the association emphasized that followers of this human and justice-seeking movement are discovering new forms of resistance every day that are no longer suppressible. IFMA reminded that from this movement, independent cinema has also been reborn; a cinema that no longer tolerates lies and censorship. According to the Independent Filmmakers Association of Iran, every 24 frames per second of this independent cinema, which targets government censorship, reflects the 'bravery and indomitability' of independent filmmakers. The Independent Filmmakers Association of Iran concluded by stating that, as always, it stands alongside artists and filmmakers who have risen against the 'normalization' of the government's gender discrimination and, in unison with the people of Iran, declare 'Long live Women, Life, Freedom.' Mahshid Zamani, a member of the association, told Voice of America about the lack of selection of works produced by Iranian government institutions at prestigious global festivals: 'Undoubtedly, the Women, Life, Freedom uprising and the solidarity created in the international community with Iranians play the most important role in eliminating the presence of state-sponsored art at festivals.' She emphasized that the efforts of independent filmmakers and artists to convey this message to the global artistic community have also significantly contributed to this change. Ms. Zamani commented on the new approach of film festivals towards the Islamic Republic officials, stating that the main message is that 'the dye of their propaganda no longer holds!' She added about the importance of screening independent Iranian cinema and its features: 'A camera that does not depict the prevalent lie of Iranian women under compulsory hijab is a powerful and noble camera, and the real image that these artists' cameras present of the people of Iran is the most important achievement of this cinema.' According to her, these are images and works that, without any extra words and without political bias, nullify the 40-year-old propaganda of the government.