Iranian Directors Barred from Leaving the Country Compete at Berlinale

The film "My Favorite Cake" directed by Behtash Sanaeiha and Maryam Maqdami, Iranian directors who have been banned from leaving the country, has been selected for the competition section of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. On Monday, January 22, the organizers of the Berlinale unveiled the complete list of participating films at the House of Cultures of the World in Berlin. The film, co-directed by Behtash Sanaeiha and Maryam Maqdami, is a joint production from Iran, France, Germany, and Sweden, featuring actors Ismail Moharabi and Leili Farhadpour. It tells the story of an elderly woman behind closed doors who courageously lives out her desires in a country where women's rights are severely restricted. Reports indicate that government agents in Iran have confiscated files and all materials related to this film, claiming it is "sensitive," and have barred the two directors from leaving the country, as they await trial. Their previous film, "The White Cow," received prestigious awards from various film festivals, including the Berlinale and Zurich, but the Islamic Republic accused the directors of "propaganda against the regime and actions against national security." Although they were ultimately acquitted of these charges, the screening of "The White Cow" remains banned in Iran. Behtash Sanaeiha and Maryam Maqdami were among about 70 figures in the Iranian film industry who supported the hashtag "Put Down Your Gun," which emerged in protest against the violent suppression of demonstrators following the collapse of the Metropol building in Abadan. About a month ago, filmmakers and film festivals worldwide published an open letter on the website of the American PEN Association, urging Iranian authorities to drop the charges against these two writers and directors and allow them to leave the country. Mariette Rissenbeek, the executive director, and Carlo Chatrian, the artistic director of the Berlinale, stated that the Berlin International Film Festival "provides a space for artistic expression and peaceful dialogue as a meeting place for exchange and fostering international understanding." They emphasized the power of films to enhance empathy, awareness, and understanding, especially in painful times like this, expressing their solidarity with all victims of humanitarian crises in the Middle East and elsewhere. They also voiced concerns about the rise of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and hate speech in Germany, declaring, "As a cultural institution, we take a firm stance against any form of discrimination and are committed to fostering intercultural understanding." From Iran, films such as "The Big Yawn" directed by Aliyar Rasti in the "Encounters" section, "Sheep" by Hadi Babaei Far in the "Short Films" section, the documentary "Midgel" by Sarvnaz Alam Beigi, a joint production of Iran and Germany in the "Generation" section, and the documentary "My Stolen Planet," a joint production of Iran and Germany directed by Farahnaz Sharifi, will also be showcased in the "Panorama" section. The competitive section features works from Alonso Ruiz Palacios, a Mexican director who has won the Silver Bear at this festival twice, Andreas Dresen, a prominent German director, Olivier Assayas and Mati Diop, French directors, Viktor Kossakovsky, a Russian documentary filmmaker, and Hong Sang-soo, a South Korean director who also has two Silver Bears to his credit.