Mohammad Rasoulof Receives Special Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival

The closing ceremony of the 77th Cannes Film Festival was held on Saturday, June 25, and the jury awards were presented to filmmakers and outstanding works of this edition, including Mohammad Rasoulof, the renowned Iranian director. Mr. Rasoulof's film titled "The Fig Tree Seeds," which received significant acclaim from film critics and audiences, won the Special Jury Prize. Mohammad Rasoulof, who illegally left Iran alone, was one of the main contenders for an award in the main competitive section of the Cannes Festival. "The Fig Tree Seeds" tells the story of a Tehran Revolutionary Court investigating judge named "Iman" who suffers from distrust and paranoia. As political protests escalate in his country, the judge's gun mysteriously disappears. Judge Iman becomes suspicious of his wife Najmeh and his daughters Rezvan and Thna, leading to severe actions at home that create tension. At Cannes, Mohammad Rasoulof stated that this film is about the family of one of the officials of the Revolutionary Court during the recent nationwide protests in Iran, drawn from his personal experiences with the country's judicial system. Before the closing ceremony and receiving this award, Rasoulof told Voice of America that he had "received his main award." The Iranian filmmaker expressed that he was very happy to have received his award when he finished making the film. He further explained that with the completion of "The Fig Tree Seeds," the efforts of the crew and contributors who are in Iran and played a much more significant role in making the film have gained global recognition. Mr. Rasoulof also mentioned that this film would soon be available to the people of Iran, and this is the biggest award he receives, with other events being "a bonus." After being sentenced to eight years in prison by the Islamic Republic, Mohammad Rasoulof was forced to flee Iran. According to Rasoulof's lawyer, this 51-year-old filmmaker was sentenced due to his critical remarks against the Islamic Republic officials and for making underground films in Iran. At the Cannes Festival, Rasoulof told Reuters that the idea for "The Fig Tree Seeds" came to him after he was arrested and imprisoned several times by the government. He has been accused of crimes related to unauthorized filming and conspiracy against national security. Mr. Rasoulof, considered a prominent critic of the Iranian government, added, "In recent years, I have been interrogated a lot, went to court, and was in contact with many people who ran the prison." He stated, "For me, this question arose about the individuals who help implement this system. What is their mindset? How do they think? What kind of people are they?" Mohammad Rasoulof, who has several other film projects in preparation, said his main concern was that he could not make films in prison, which is why he decided to leave Iran. He stated, "I decided to first do what was left to be done, and then if the Islamic Republic still existed and if these sentences were still in place, then it would be time to go to prison." The security forces of the Islamic Republic have suppressed opponents, including filmmakers, artists, cultural figures, and athletes, since the recent nationwide protests in Iran, which are the most extensive unrest since the 1979 revolution. Mohammad Rasoulof is a well-known figure at the Cannes Festival, and his presence at this artistic event is considered significant. He has been banned from working and leaving the country for seven years but has secretly and underground made films in Iran. The film "The Apprentice" by Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi was another work present in the main competitive section of the festival that did not win an award. This film, featuring Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Maria Bakalova, and Martin Donovan, depicts part of the youth of former U.S. President Donald Trump. The story revolves around the early stages of Donald Trump's business activities in the 1970s and 80s in New York, focusing on his economic relationships with a controversial lawyer named Roy Cohn. "The Apprentice" is the title of a reality television program that Donald Trump hosted and produced, which aired for fifteen seasons in the United States and many countries around the world. The jury of the main competitive section of the Cannes Festival was chaired by Greta Gerwig, an American filmmaker who gained fame for directing "Barbie." She is the first American female filmmaker to be selected as the head of the jury in this section. Lily Gladstone, Eva Green, Omar Sy, Ebru Şahin, Nadine Labaki, Juan Antonio Bayona, Pierfrancesco Favino, and Kore-eda Hirokazu were members of this year's main competitive jury. Mohammad Rasoulof told Voice of America: I have received my award. The presence of Mohammad Rasoulof on the red carpet; the exiled Iranian director was applauded at the Cannes Festival. Mohammad Rasoulof's participation in the screening of his film at Cannes; Hamid Soleiman Zadeh: It is as important as the screening. The Iranian Artists' Association of Film and Theater Abroad: Committed to supporting Mohammad Rasoulof and artists under pressure from the Islamic Republic. Mohammad Rasoulof in Germany: My mission is to describe the situation that Iranians are caught in. The Cannes Film Festival begins; Mohammad Rasoulof and Ali Abbasi compete for the Palme d'Or. The International Coalition of At-Risk Filmmakers expressed solidarity with Mohammad Rasoulof. Mohammad Rasoulof after leaving Iran: From today, I am a resident of "Cultural Iran" and I am alive to narrate. The Independent Filmmakers of Iran Association participates with works about "Women, Life, Freedom" at the Cannes Festival. The eight-year prison sentence of Mohammad Rasoulof, a critic of the government, was upheld in the appeals court.