Can Rasoulof's Film Impact the Academy's Relationship with the Farabi Foundation?

"Variety," a major publication in the film industry, reported on the impact of Germany's selection of Mohammad Rasoulof's film "Fig Tree" for the international Oscar category, stating that this choice is becoming a turning point for reconsidering how countries select their cinematic representatives for the Oscars. The report published on Wednesday, October 10, asks: "Can the Iranian trailer of Fig Tree be a factor for the Academy to review how nominees are selected for the Best International Film category?" The issue of selecting Iran's cinematic representative for the Oscars has been a contentious topic for years. The Academy recognizes the Farabi Cinema Foundation, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, as responsible for selecting the Iranian film for the Oscars. The governmental affiliation of this body has led to the exclusion of works by critical filmmakers, who are denied public screening by the Ministry of Guidance, from ever being submitted to the Academy, despite their significant international successes. Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof are two prominent filmmakers who have never had the opportunity to participate in the Oscars due to this reason, and this is the first time Rasoulof is testing his luck for the Oscar with Germany's decision. Variety's report introduces Rasoulof's film "Fig Tree" as a frontrunner in the Best International Film category for the 2025 Oscars, noting that this film has become the voice of a group of independent Iranian filmmakers and others, raising the question of whether governmental institutions in countries like Iran and China, governed by authoritarian ideological regimes, have the authority to decide on Oscar-eligible films. "Fig Tree," which was secretly filmed in Iran, tells the story of a revolutionary court judge in Tehran who, amid escalating nationwide protests in 2022, becomes suspicious of his wife and young daughters after losing his weapon. The film won the Jury Special Prize at the recent Cannes Film Festival and has had a successful run in France, attracting nearly 350,000 viewers and grossing around three million euros. It is set to be released in U.S. theaters on November 27, and Variety reported that Rasoulof, who now lives in Germany, is likely to attend the film's screenings in New York and Los Angeles. Rasoulof, who secretly left Iran just days before the film's screening at Cannes, recently stated that Germany's decision to select his new film as its official Oscar representative "should be encouraging for other filmmakers in Iran who create under the pressure of censorship." Variety also reflects the views of Kaveh Farnam, a producer of some of Rasoulof's previous films, including "There Is No Evil," who said that the Farabi Foundation "is linked to Iran's intelligence agencies and is deeply involved in censorship issues." Farnam is a member of the Independent Filmmakers Association of Iran, which has, in recent years, called for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to reconsider its relationship with the Farabi Foundation through letters. The Independent Filmmakers Association of Iran was formed by a group of filmmakers opposed to the Iranian government. This year, the Farabi Foundation introduced Babak Khajehpasha's film "In the Embrace of the Tree," which was screened at the Fajr Film Festival, as Iran's representative for the Oscars; a family drama about the impact of a couple's problems on their children's world. Iranian cinema officials have praised the film's content in recent months, and its creator has made statements aligning with government propaganda at various points. Farnam told Variety that "In the Embrace of the Tree" was selected solely because it "aligns with the regime's policies" and that "they know this film has no chance at the Oscars." The Independent Filmmakers Association has protested against the selection of Iran's representative for the Oscars by a government body. The Berlin and Cannes film festivals have prevented the Farabi Foundation from participating since the death of Mahsa Jina Amini in 2022, which led to the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement and its severe suppression by the government; however, Variety noted that the Farabi Foundation "still maintains good relations with the Academy." While "In the Embrace of the Tree" has been chosen by the committee under the Farabi Foundation for the Oscars, the film "My Favorite Cake," co-directed by Maryam Maqdami and Behtash Sanaeiha, was not even nominated due to a lack of screening permission, despite its numerous international appearances at major festivals, including Berlin. The filmmakers of "My Favorite Cake" are still not allowed to leave Iran. Variety reported that these two filmmakers have once again faced political harassment from government agents. The couple intended to travel to Sweden for their film's screening but were stopped at the airport. "My Favorite Cake," which was made without adhering to the Islamic Republic's censorship laws, including the hijab requirement for female actors, won the Best Film award from the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) at the Berlin Film Festival and has recently begun screenings in Sweden and the UK. The film had a successful run in Germany last summer, grossing nearly 500,000 euros. Farnam told Variety that by supporting the Farabi Foundation, the Academy is sending a message to the younger generation of Iranian filmmakers that "if your film does not align with the regime's propaganda, you will have no chance of being present at the Oscars." The Academy has not commented on the recent request from the Independent Filmmakers Association of Iran, which has called for a reconsideration of its collaboration with the Farabi Foundation for the second consecutive year. According to Academy rules, "the selection of a film by a country must be done by an organization, board, or committee that has been pre-approved, with at least 50% of its members being artists or professionals in the film industry," and "if there is a valid and recognized selection committee that is active, creating a new committee is not possible." Mohammad Rasoulof, who recently served on the jury of the Busan Film Festival in South Korea, stated there that, in addition to Iran, "other films have also been submitted to the Oscars that were selected by the regimes of other countries" and expressed hope that in the future, other films not selected by organizations under authoritarian governments "will also have a chance to participate in the Oscars." Variety's report also referenced the controversial selection of films for the Oscars by China, noting that the country has increasingly promoted patriotic films for the Oscars instead of artistically acclaimed ones. Meanwhile, Russia has boycotted the Oscars and the submission of films since 2022 due to tensions with the United States over the war in Ukraine. The report also mentioned a similar recent request from Bahman Ghobadi, another prominent Iranian filmmaker, for a review of Oscar rules. Ghobadi had written to the Academy asking for a new category for the Best International Film section so that exiled filmmakers could participate in the same way the International Olympic Committee created a team for refugee athletes. Variety concluded its detailed report by stating: "Now that Germany has opened its arms [regarding the selection of an Iranian film for the Oscars], Rasoulof and others hope that the Academy will finally support their efforts and find a way to give films that speak truth to power more opportunities to reach the Oscars." Iran has won the Best International Film Oscar twice with Asghar Farhadi's films "A Separation" and "The Salesman."