Rasulof: My Film's Presence at the Oscars as Germany's Representative is 'Bittersweet'

Mohammad Rasulof, a filmmaker critical of the Islamic Republic, says that the presence of his latest film, 'The Fig Tree of Temples', at the Oscars as Germany's representative is a 'bittersweet' event; bitter due to the repression and censorship in Iranian cinema and sweet because, despite this, the film has made it to the Oscars. On Sunday, December 4, he noted that Iran's representative at the Oscars is solely chosen by state institutions, stating in an interview with AFP, 'It is unimaginable that the Islamic Republic would introduce such a film as Iran's representative to the Oscars.' The director pointed out the limitations of filmmaking in Iran, saying, 'If the Islamic Republic could, it would have prevented the making of films from the beginning.' However, Mohammad Rasulof, who is in Los Angeles to promote his film, expressed happiness that this film has been introduced to the Oscars by Germany, saying, 'It is like lighting a lamp, a sign for all filmmakers who work under pressure around the world.' 'The Fig Tree of Temples' has been secretly produced in Tehran with the participation of Iranian actors and crew, but is presented as a joint product of Iran, Germany, and France. The story of the film revolves around the family of a judge amidst the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests, and female actors do not wear mandatory hijabs. Regarding this year's Iranian representative at the Oscars, 'In the Embrace of the Tree', he expressed little interest in watching such films that are made 'according to censorship laws in Iran' because 'these films are usually very far from reality' and watching them feels like 'an insult to your intelligence.' According to Mr. Rasulof, this film is the result of his personal experiences with the judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran. After secretly making this film and at the same time as the confirmation of his prison sentence in the appeals court due to his continuous criticism of the Islamic Republic, he secretly left Iran. The 29th branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced this Iranian artist to eight years in prison, lashes, fines, and property confiscation. Mohammad Rasulof was arrested in July 2022 after signing a statement titled 'Put Down Your Gun.'