Film Screening Halted Due to Teaser Broadcast by Gem TV

The screening of the film "Mashkel Giti" has been halted by the judiciary's order and the Ministry of Culture's directive due to its "teaser" being aired on the Gem TV network in Iranian cinemas. Bahram Kazemi, the producer and director of the film, stated on Thursday, December 23, to the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) that the screening was stopped despite tickets being pre-sold two days prior. Kazemi added that this action will "cause dissatisfaction among audiences" and his efforts to resolve the issue have so far been unsuccessful. He noted that they did not provide a teaser to the Gem network and even issued a statement protesting the broadcast when it began. The director claimed that Gem TV "stole and aired the teaser from us, but apparently, the judiciary officials have not found a shorter wall than us to lean against." The broadcast of Iranian film teasers on satellite networks is prohibited according to officials from the Ministry of Culture and the judiciary, and it leads to the halting of film screenings. On May 18 this year, Mohammad Reza Faraji, the director of professional cinema, announced the issuance of a circular to all film production and distribution offices prohibiting the airing of film teasers on unauthorized satellite networks. Part of this circular stated that since "the use of satellites is still prohibited, the display of any Iranian feature film, teaser, and trailer of Iranian feature films through unauthorized Persian-speaking satellite networks is legally prohibited." In recent months, the issue of airing advertisements for some films on the Gem satellite network has been met with judicial action, and in June, producers of three films "Kuche Bi Nameh," "Abad va Yek Rooz," and "50 Kilo Albaloo" were summoned to the Culture and Media Prosecutor's Office in this regard. Abbas Jafari Dolat Abadi, the public and revolutionary prosecutor of Tehran, also warned filmmakers on June 8 about the "broadcasting of their promotional teasers on satellite networks." The airing of film advertisements previously led to the temporary suspension of the film "Aadat Nemikonim" directed by Ebrahim Ebrahimiyan, but on June 15, the deputy prosecutor of Tehran stated in a letter to the head of the Cinema Organization that the continuation of this film's screening was permissible. In addition to the halting of some film screenings, reports have emerged of summons and arrests of some artists due to activities related to satellite networks in Iran. In the latest reports, the state news agency has quoted a judicial official about the arrest of Pegah Zafarabadi on charges of collaborating with the Gem network. The news agency also reported that some media outlets had previously mentioned the arrest of the manager of Gem TV in Shiraz.