Navid Mihandoost, Imprisoned Director, Criticizes Government's Treatment of Artists

Navid Mihandoost, an Iranian director imprisoned in Evin Prison, in a letter published on the Telegram channel 'Emtedad', reacted to the 'controversies and events that occurred at the closing ceremony of the Fajr Film Festival' and criticized the government's approach towards activists in this field and the passivity of the House of Cinema and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance in this regard. He pointed out that the events that took place during the closing ceremony of the Fajr Film Festival, which led to the formation of a case in the Islamic Revolutionary Court for two veteran figures in cinema, television, and theater, confirmed what he has been shouting for a long time without any hearing in the Ministry of Culture and the House of Cinema. Mihandoost referred to the formation of a case by the judiciary against Marzieh Boroumand and Reza Babak due to their 'handshake' on stage at the Fajr Festival. The Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary, announced on February 5 that a case had been formed against Ms. Boroumand and Mr. Babak due to what it called 'behavior contrary to custom and Sharia'. This action took place after Marzieh Boroumand shook hands with Reza Babak during a ceremony honoring him on the opening night of the 43rd Fajr Film Festival, which was broadcast live on the Islamic Republic's TV network. The imprisoned filmmaker wrote: 'I am sure this great shame for all those who, in the year 1403 in the Iranian calendar, coinciding with 2025 in the Gregorian calendar, despite all the tremendous human advancements in individual and social freedoms, are still entangled in the handshake of a seventy-something man and woman at a festival, and consider a filmmaker deserving of prison and three years of imprisonment for making a film, will be recorded before future generations.' In part of his letter, Mihandoost wrote: 'As a filmmaker who has been in Evin Prison for over 600 days for making a film, I have emphasized since the formation of my case in the Security Prosecutor's Office that the place for addressing the problems and misunderstandings that arise from filmmaking and its professional nature for filmmakers and actors is somewhere other than the Security Prosecutor's Office and the Revolutionary Court.' He stressed that these authorities have no expertise in the complex profession of filmmaking, and therefore, from the beginning of the case formation and issuance of the indictment, they lead to strange and bitter rulings. Mihandoost referred to the 'shameful' ruling issued against him, which mandates participation in psychological sessions for actors who removed their mandatory hijab, or attending filmmaking classes at a seminary for a well-known director. This imprisoned filmmaker stated: 'As someone who has spent a lifetime in this profession, I feel sorry for the House of Cinema and the Ministry of Culture that are so helpless and powerless in defending their artists and do not know the most basic principles of protecting filmmakers.' Mihandoost continued to criticize the Minister of Culture, referring to his statements that said, 'We are trying to resolve filmmakers' issues with security agencies, but those who have judicial convictions are in a different situation.' The imprisoned filmmaker said: 'Interestingly, this same minister and his subordinates exaggerate their efforts in all news circles regarding resolving the judicial problems of filmmakers, but regarding the case of a filmmaker who, according to the text of his ruling, has been in prison for over 20 months for a film that has only been in the virtual investigation stage, they refrain from admitting that their incomplete actions, which were merely an administrative duty and clumsy correspondence, have yielded no results.' According to Navid Mihandoost, officials at the Ministry of Culture spend their time solving issues for celebrities who have received lighter sentences, as addressing them has more promotional value than dealing with a filmmaker who has set the record for the highest prison time endured for his profession.