Mohammad Rasoulof Attends His Film Screening at Cannes Festival; Hamid Soleiman-zadeh: Its Importance Matches the Screening

Mohammad Rasoulof, the renowned Iranian filmmaker who recently left Iran illegally, will attend the unveiling of his new film at the Cannes Festival. Hamid Soleiman-zadeh, an Iranian writer and film critic, stated in an interview with Voice of America that Rasoulof's presence at the festival is as important as the screening of his film. Rasoulof's work titled 'The Fig Tree of Temples' is one of the main competitive entries at the festival and is considered a contender for this year's Palme d'Or. Rasoulof, a critic of the Islamic Republic, fled Iran secretly after his eight-year prison and flogging sentence was confirmed by the Islamic Revolutionary Court. The film's media advisor told Variety that 'The Fig Tree of Temples' will be screened on Friday, June 4, with Rasoulof present at the Cannes Festival. The film's storyline, provided by the film's distributor 'Films Boutique,' introduces the character of Iman, an investigative judge in Tehran's Revolutionary Court, who becomes distrustful and paranoid. As political protests escalate in his country, his weapon mysteriously disappears. Iman becomes suspicious of his wife Najmeh and his daughters Rezvan and Thna, leading him to take drastic actions at home that increase tensions. Rasoulof is a well-known figure at the Cannes Festival, making his attendance at this artistic event significant. He has been banned from working and leaving the country for seven years but has secretly and underground made films in Iran. Hamid Soleiman-zadeh, who is currently at the Cannes Festival, told Voice of America: 'The presence of Mohammad Rasoulof at the festival is as important as the screening of his film. The Cannes red carpet has never hosted a filmmaker who has fled his homeland under necessity and hardship in less than a month, and the significance of this event far outweighs the idea presented in his film.' He added: 'The troubles Rasoulof has faced as a filmmaker over the past decade have been nothing less than a moving tragedy, from heavy sentences and arrests to medieval restrictions.' According to Soleiman-zadeh, Rasoulof 'as an independent and courageous character has always unveiled stories and events that play an enlightening role in the approach to social cinema. After watching his films, we always think about what we would do if we faced the fate of his characters, which touches a part of the audience's existence that few filmmakers have aimed for.' This writer and film critic stated: 'Regardless of what type of film he makes and its quality, Rasoulof is a filmmaker who has made a lasting protest action in the history of Iranian cinema. An action that has placed him on a path that is both irreversible and honorable.' Rasoulof, who left Iran last week, recently told The Guardian that he has arrived in Germany. He mentioned that he faced the imminent danger of imprisonment by the Islamic Republic and discarded all his traceable electronic devices before escaping Iran after a long walk in mountainous border areas. He told The Guardian that he hopes to return to Iran 'very soon' and not serve his sentence. This independent Iranian filmmaker, who has significant achievements and awards in his professional career, stated that his legal situation left him with no choice but to leave the theocratic Islamic Republic, as he is 'determined to continue telling the stories of the people through cinema.' Rasoulof added that his mission is to narrate what is happening in Iran and the situation that Iranians are trapped in, but he cannot fulfill this mission while in prison. On May 24, Rasoulof announced his secret departure from Iran via a short post from an unspecified location. The appellate court of the Islamic Republic's judiciary had recently confirmed his eight-year prison sentence. He referred to the repeated confiscation of his passport and the raids by Islamic Republic agents on his home over the years, addressing the officials of the Islamic Republic that he has now left the geographical borders of Iran 'under the boots of your religious tyranny,' like 'millions of Iranians who have been forced to leave Iran due to your oppression and brutality,' and 'from today I am a resident of my cultural Iran.' In his Instagram post, Rasoulof emphasized: 'Now I must quickly finish the final technical stages of post-production for The Fig Tree of Temples.' This Iranian director concluded by thanking all those who 'kindly, selflessly, and sometimes at the risk of their own safety' helped him 'cross the border and reach a safe point,' adding: 'I am alive to narrate.' Mohammad Rasoulof is a well-known critic of the Islamic Republic and has been imprisoned multiple times for his anti-government statements. This report utilized information from Variety, The Guardian, and Voice of America. The Iranian Artists' Association of Film and Theater Abroad: We are committed to supporting Mohammad Rasoulof and artists under pressure from the Islamic Republic. Mohammad Rasoulof in Germany: My mission is to describe the situation that Iranians are trapped in. The Cannes Film Festival begins; Mohammad Rasoulof and Ali Abbasi compete for the Palme d'Or. The International Coalition of Filmmakers at Risk expressed solidarity with Mohammad Rasoulof. Mohammad Rasoulof after leaving Iran: From today, I am a resident of 'Cultural Iran' and I am alive to narrate. The Independent Filmmakers Association: Rasoulof's sentence showed that the law of the Islamic Republic is merely a tool for stubbornness and revenge against opponents. The Independent Filmmakers Association of Iran participates in the Cannes Festival with works about 'Women, Life, Freedom.'