The production team of 'The Sacred Fig Seed,' directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, has come under pressure from the security forces of the Islamic Republic after the film was selected for the competition section of the Cannes Film Festival. Babak Paknia, a lawyer, announced on Monday, April 29, that some members of the production team have been summoned in the past two weeks, and some have been banned from leaving the country. Following their interrogation, they were asked to persuade the film's director, Mohammad Rasoulof, to withdraw the film from Cannes. The Cannes Film Festival had previously announced on April 22 that 'The Sacred Fig Seed,' Rasoulof's latest film, had been added to the competition section. In recent years, Rasoulof has presented films such as 'Goodbye,' 'The Manuscripts Don't Burn,' and 'Lerd' in the Un Certain Regard section, and 'Iron Island' in the Directors' Fortnight section of Cannes. However, after his arrest in July 2022 for signing a statement titled 'Lay Down Your Gun,' he was banned from leaving the country and could not attend last year's Cannes Festival as a jury member. No details about the story or production team of 'The Sacred Fig Seed' have been released so far. While the security institutions of the Islamic Republic have threatened and intimidated the production team to remove 'The Sacred Fig Seed' from the prestigious Cannes Festival, earlier in March 2023, the film 'My Favorite Cake,' directed by Behtash Sanaeiha and Maryam Maqudam, managed to win the International Critics' Jury Award at the Berlin Festival despite the creators being banned from leaving the country. The independent film 'My Favorite Cake,' starring Leili Farahani and Ismail Moharabi, openly depicts women without hijabs and shows the consumption of alcoholic beverages, violating the red lines set by the Islamic Republic for filmmakers. The Islamic Republic has banned Behtash Sanaeiha and Maryam Maqudam from leaving the country on charges such as 'propaganda against the regime' and 'actions against national security.'
Iranian Independent Films Threaten the Regime; Pressure from the Islamic Republic to Remove 'The Sacred Fig Seed' from Cannes
The Iranian film 'The Sacred Fig Seed' has faced pressure from the Islamic Republic's security forces to withdraw from the Cannes Film Festival. Director Mohammad Rasoulof and his team have been summoned and threatened, reflecting the regime's ongoing crackdown on artistic expression. This situation highlights the tension between independent filmmakers and the Iranian government.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Iranian film 'The Sacred Fig Seed' directed by Mohammad Rasoulof is under pressure from Iranian security forces to withdraw from the Cannes Film Festival. Members of the production team have been interrogated and some have been banned from leaving Iran.
- The film was selected for the competition section of Cannes.
- Director Rasoulof has been previously arrested and banned from leaving Iran.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iranian filmmakers often face censorship and legal challenges when their work is perceived as critical of the regime. International film festivals provide a platform for these voices but also attract government scrutiny.
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Translation confidence: 90%