The distributor of the film ‘Holy Spider’ announced on Tuesday that Russian officials have stopped the release of this Cannes award-winning film about a serial killer of sex workers in Iran. According to Voice of America, ‘Holy Spider’, directed by Danish-Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi, is inspired by a true story about a war veteran who killed 16 sex workers in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city and a major Shiite pilgrimage site. This action by Moscow comes as Russia has increasingly become conservative following the onset of the war in Ukraine and seeks closer ties with Iran amid international political isolation. The film was released in Russian cinemas on May 11, but less than a week later, the Russian Ministry of Culture revoked its distribution license. In a written statement, Anastasia Kruglyakova, a representative of Exponata Film, confirmed the news, saying, ‘Unfortunately, this news is true,’ but did not provide further details. On the other hand, the Russian Ministry of Culture stated that the film's distribution license was revoked ‘due to the use of information whose dissemination is prohibited by the laws of the Russian Federation.’ No further comments have been made by the Russian Ministry of Culture. Previously, Zar Amir-Ebrahimi won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in ‘Holy Spider’, where she plays a journalist investigating the murders. The Islamic Republic protested last year after this film was selected by the Cannes Festival, calling the action ‘completely wrong and political.’ Since Abbasi, the film's director, was denied permission to shoot in Iran, the film was ultimately made in Jordan. This report uses information from the French Press. Germans watched ‘Holy Spider’; Critique of women's conditions in Iran. Ali Abbasi: ‘Holy Spider’ was attacked to divert public opinion from Iran's problems. The Cannes Festival opened with a film by Johnny Depp; Iran's cinema is absent from the main competition section. Kaveh Farnam, producer: The courage of artists who do not accept mandatory hijab is commendable. Announcement of selected works at the Cannes Film Festival; Iran has no representative in the main competitive section. Ali Abbasi told Voice of America: The aim of the attack on ‘Holy Spider’ is to divert public opinion from Iran's problems. Dozens of prominent filmmakers at the Berlin Film Festival supported Iranian protesters. Zahra Amir-Ebrahimi became the head of the jury at the Gothenburg Film Festival in Sweden.
‘Holy Spider’; Russia Halts Screening of Iranian Film
Russia has halted the screening of the Iranian film ‘Holy Spider’, which tells the story of a serial killer targeting sex workers in Iran. The film, directed by Ali Abbasi, won an award at Cannes and has faced political backlash from the Iranian government. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Russia and the West, as well as the challenges faced by Iranian filmmakers.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Russian Ministry of Culture has halted the screening of the Iranian film 'Holy Spider', which tells the story of a serial killer targeting sex workers in Iran. This decision follows a brief release period and is attributed to the film's content being deemed inappropriate under Russian law.
- The film won an award at the Cannes Film Festival.
- The Iranian government previously protested the film's selection at Cannes.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iranian cinema often grapples with themes of social justice and women's rights, facing both domestic censorship and international scrutiny. 'Holy Spider' specifically addresses the dark realities of violence against women in Iran.
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%