The Fig Seed of Temples, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, nominated as Germany's representative for the Oscars

Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, after the announcement of his film 'The Fig Seed of Temples' being selected for the 2025 Oscars representing Germany, told Radio Farda that this event might be able to 'bring the voice of independent Iranian cinema to new places on a new path.' On Thursday, September 1, in an interview with Radio Farda, Mr. Rasoulof pointed out that the story of his new film 'provides a close-to-reality image of the women's movement in Iran,' adding that this is a tribute from the film's team to the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement. It was announced on Thursday that Germany has nominated the film 'The Fig Seed of Temples' as its representative for the 2025 Oscars. 'The Fig Seed of Temples' was made in Tehran with the participation of Iranian actors and crew but is presented as a co-production of Iran, Germany, and France. This film was present in the official competition section of the recent Cannes Film Festival and also received a special jury prize. Mr. Rasoulof had previously stated that 'The Fig Seed of Temples,' which tells the story of a judge's family amidst the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests and features female actors without compulsory hijab, is the result of his personal experiences with the judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The film stars Soheila Golestani, Mithaq Zare, Mahsa Rostami, and Setareh Maleki. After secretly making this film and simultaneously receiving an eight-year prison and flogging sentence due to his continuous criticism of the Islamic Republic, Rasoulof secretly left Iran and is currently residing in Hamburg, Germany. This protesting filmmaker was introduced on August 30 as the head of the jury for the 'New Currents' section of the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea.