Mohammad Rasoulof After Oscar Nomination: Not Being Political in These Conditions is Deeply Political

Mohammad Rasoulof, the Iranian critical filmmaker, described the nomination of his latest film "The Fig Seed of Temples" for the 2025 Oscars as "surprising" and stated he never imagined he would be present at the Oscars as a nominee. The film, made secretly and underground in Iran, was announced on January 24 as one of the five nominees for Best International Feature Film representing Germany. In an exclusive interview with Radio Farda, Rasoulof referred to the Oscars' rules and the nature of his work, saying: "I never thought I would be present at the Oscars as a nominee; simply because in the cinematic structure of Iran, the level of control and repression is such that films with a deep critical perspective against the system are not even considered for nomination." Rasoulof referred to the events surrounding Jafar Panahi's film "Offside" in 2006, stating: "This film had the potential to win an Oscar years ago, but in Iran, the denial of problems and the indifference and censorship and repression were so significant that there was an issue with such a film being shown, let alone nominated for an Oscar." "The Fig Seed of Temples" is Rasoulof's seventh feature film, which premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and achieved significant success in various festivals after receiving a special award there. The film tells the story of a judge in Tehran's Revolutionary Court who becomes suspicious of his wife and young daughters amid the nationwide protests of 2022 when his weapon goes missing. Rasoulof, who was forced to secretly leave Iran after making this film, is currently residing in Berlin, Germany. In his conversation with Radio Farda, he welcomed differing views on his film, stating: "I welcome the differences in perspectives regarding the film. Even the comments from those who view the film negatively are worth listening to. Without differing opinions and perspectives on these issues, the path does not become clear. In any case, I have been working for years in this path where the idea of a desire for artistic freedoms is prominent." The Iranian filmmaker stated: "I try not to be intimidated by the limitations imposed by the aesthetics of tyranny that have been instilled in us. Words like 'blunt flower' whose origins are unclear. It seems that your political structure has brought you to a point where you want to turn a blind eye to your daily life or avoid direct engagement with it. It wants to fit everything into a delicate and metaphorical framework and avoid facing reality. What censorship does is influence the artist's relationship with reality based on its own desires. What matters is that different viewpoints work within the body of Iranian cinema. Based on this, I welcome all reactions, even the insults that are directed at me. Regarding accusations of 'political exploitation,' Rasoulof noted that he has been familiar with this atmosphere since 15 years ago after his first arrest, stating: "A large part of these comments is a result of people thinking, 'Why can he do it and I cannot?' Some measure me with a standard I call the aesthetics of tyranny, but I follow my own path, and they follow theirs. Everyone advances their path based on their intellectual needs." He considered the making of films like "Iron Island" and "The Fields of Dawn" as a product of his fear of tyranny and said he does not miss those films. Regarding the interference of politics in artistic creation and reactions to it, he stated: "People who say we have nothing to do with politics, what do we care, we are looking for a good artistic form, are actually withdrawing in favor of this system, and the idea of not being political in such conditions is deeply political because you are siding with a system that you know what it does." In the interview, Rasoulof also addressed rumors suggesting he benefits from the position of some family members, including Jalal Rasoulof, his uncle, stating he has no connection with him. Jalal Rasoulof was once the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and CEO of various banks in Iran after the 1979 revolution. He also provided explanations regarding a reaction he had years ago to a comment made by Asghar Farhadi, a well-known filmmaker at the Cannes Festival, praising Farhadi's films and career while maintaining his belief in the correctness of that opinion. Rasoulof elaborated on his views and the outlook for his future path.