The 'Fig Seed of Temples' and 'My Favorite Cake' Become the Best-Selling Iranian Films Worldwide

Statistics from global film sales monitoring websites indicate that the films 'Fig Seed of Temples' and 'My Favorite Cake' have become the best-selling Iranian films in recent years worldwide. Both films were made without adhering to the censorship requirements of the Iranian government and are considered works from the unofficial cinema of Iran. According to Radio Farda and based on information from the website 'Box Office Mojo', the global sales of 'Fig Seed of Temples' directed by Mohammad Rasoulof reached $6,164,000 by Friday, March 8, 2024. With this sales figure, 'Fig Seed of Temples' has become the third highest-grossing Iranian film worldwide, following 'A Separation' and 'The Salesman', both directed by Asghar Farhadi, which grossed nearly $23 million and $7 million respectively. A significant portion of the sales for 'Fig Seed of Temples' came from its successful screening in France, where it attracted over 600,000 viewers, generating more than $4 million in revenue. The film has also recently been screened in the United States, where it has earned over $850,000. The United Arab Emirates, Italy, Spain, Australia, and the United Kingdom are other countries where the film has grossed over $100,000. The film's nomination as one of the five finalists for the Best International Feature Film at the 2025 Oscars has been a significant factor in its continued screening and increased sales. The screening of this film, which was made secretly in Iran without government permits and relates to the protests of 'Women, Life, Freedom', continues in various countries, and its home video version has been made available on various online streaming platforms. Global sales statistics also show that 'My Favorite Cake', co-directed by Maryam Maqdami and Behtash Sanaeiha, has surpassed $2.5 million in sales as of Friday. The recent increase in sales of this film is due to its successful screening in France, where it earned nearly $700,000 in its first two weeks. The film has grossed over $500,000 in Italy and had a successful screening in Germany this summer. The Netherlands, Turkey, and Australia are other countries where the film has grossed over $100,000. The high sales of 'My Favorite Cake' have made it the sixth highest-grossing Iranian film in recent years globally. This has occurred while the creators of 'My Favorite Cake' have faced security and judicial actions from the Islamic Republic authorities, with recent accusations including 'propaganda against the regime, producing and distributing a film with vulgar content, offending public morals, and screening the film without a license'. Since the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests, the presence and screening of unofficial or underground Iranian films at international festivals and events have significantly increased, and these films have become the main representatives of Iranian cinema in the absence of licensed works from the official stream. In addition to 'Fig Seed of Temples' and 'My Favorite Cake', the film 'Earthly Verses', co-directed by Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami, has also had a successful screening in France, grossing nearly $900,000. The good sales of underground and unofficial films worldwide have made these films successful in terms of financial returns and investment recovery, despite not being screened in Iranian cinemas. Hundreds of global filmmakers have called for the withdrawal of charges against the creators of 'My Favorite Cake'. The result of Iran's underground cinema in the two years since the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement has been significant.