Hundreds of Global Filmmakers Call for the Dismissal of Charges Against the Creators of 'My Favorite Cake'

Hundreds of renowned filmmakers from various countries have urged the authorities of the Islamic Republic to end the legal charges against the creators of the film 'My Favorite Cake.' 300 filmmakers launched an online campaign demanding that the charges against Maryam Maqdami and Behtash Sanaei be dropped unconditionally. Maryam Maqdami and Behtash Sanaei, the creators of 'My Favorite Cake,' announced on February 13 that they must appear in court on March 2 due to accusations such as 'propaganda against the regime, producing and distributing a film with vulgar content, offending public morality, and screening a film without a distribution license.' Iranian media later reported that Leili Farahani, an actress in the film, was also summoned to the Tehran Revolutionary Court on similar charges on the same day. The statement from the hundreds of global filmmakers noted that the creators of this film 'after months of interrogation and two years of continuous travel bans' must appear in the Revolutionary Court due to making 'My Favorite Cake.' Notable signatories of this statement include Pedro Almodóvar, Juliette Binoche, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof, Agnieszka Holland, Joachim Trier, Céline Sciamma, Arthur Harari, Dominique Moll, Agnieszka Holland, and the directors of the Venice, Berlin, and Rotterdam festivals. These filmmakers declared their solidarity with Maryam Maqdami and Behtash Sanaei against 'this repression' and supported their right to 'create and express.' The film 'My Favorite Cake,' despite receiving a production license, was made without adhering to the censorship of female actors' hijab, featuring Leili Farahani and Ismail Mehrabi, and tells the story of a woman who, tired of her monotonous life, wishes to spend a night according to her desires with a man of her age in her home. This film achieved significant success in European screenings, was showcased in the competition section of the Berlin Festival in 2023, won the Best Film award from the FIPRESCI jury, and also received the Silver Hugo award at the Chicago Film Festival. Following the protests of 2022 and influenced by the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, dozens of short and feature films have been made underground in Iran and have been presented as representatives of Iranian underground cinema at international festivals.