Rasoulof's Film 'Fig Tree Seeds' Among Barack Obama's Favorite Works

Barack Obama, the former President of the United States, released his annual list of favorite films, songs, and books on Friday, December 22, which includes 'Fig Tree Seeds' directed by Mohammad Rasoulof. Recognized as an influential cultural figure in the U.S., Obama typically shares his selected works with his followers at the end of each calendar year. 'Fig Tree Seeds,' created by renowned Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, is considered by Obama to be one of the top cinematic works of 2024. Other films on the list include 'The Secret Society,' 'The Piano Lesson,' 'Promised Land,' 'Dune: Part Two,' 'A Complete Stranger,' and 'Anura.' Some of these films have not yet been publicly released but are serious contenders for 'Golden Globe' or 'Oscar' awards. Obama has encouraged his Instagram followers to watch his top 10 films. In previous years, he has also included other Iranian films such as 'A Hero' by Asghar Farhadi and 'The Dusty Road' directed by Panah Panahi, the son of Jafar Panahi. Last week, 'Fig Tree Seeds' made it to the preliminary list of nominees for the Oscar in the International Feature Film category. This film is competing as Germany's representative in this category and has a strong chance of making it to the final list of five films for the Oscar. Mohammad Rasoulof made 'Fig Tree Seeds' underground in Iran and premiered it at the Cannes International Film Festival in France last summer after secretly leaving Iran. 'Fig Tree Seeds' is also a nominee for the 'Golden Globe' in the non-English language category, with the awards ceremony taking place in January in Los Angeles. The film tells the story of a revolutionary court investigator in Tehran named 'Iman,' who suffers from distrust and paranoia. As political protests in Iran escalate, the judge's weapon mysteriously disappears. Judge Iman becomes suspicious of his wife Najmeh and his daughters Rezvan and Thna, leading him to take severe actions at home that create tension. Mohammad Rasoulof stated at the Cannes festival that this film is about the family of a revolutionary court official during the recent nationwide protests in Iran, inspired by his personal experiences with the judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 'Fig Tree Seeds' and an Iranian animation are on the preliminary Oscar list. The Golden Globe judges consider Rasoulof a main contender for the award. Interviews with the director of 'A Good Day is Coming,' a film inspired by the life of Navid Afkari, and the animation 'And Grandma Danced' by Maryam Mohajer are also in the Oscar race. A report from 'Hollywood Reporter' discusses the challenges of making and editing 'Fig Tree Seeds.' Three awards were given to 'Me, Maryam, the Kids, and 26 Others,' along with an interview with the film's director. The screening of 'Mermaid' in California featured Asieh Ziaei stating that playing the lead role is every actor's dream.