Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof arrived on the Cannes Film Festival Thursday after his dramatic escape from his homeland after being sentenced to eight years in jail.
“I can’t believe I’m standing here,” AFP journalists heard him telling officers within the Palais des Festivals, the place the world’s greatest movie competition is being held.
He declined questions from reporters forward of the premiere of his new movie, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”, which is competing for the Palme d’Or, the competition’s high prize, on Friday.
It tells the story of a decide’s struggles amid political unrest in Tehran. Rasoulof had come below strain to withdraw it from Cannes earlier than the competition opened.
The award-winning filmmaker — an outspoken critic of the Iranian regime — was sentenced to eight years in jail on costs of “collusion against national security” earlier this month. He had already served two jail phrases over his movies and criticism of the federal government, and had his passport revoked in 2017.
But on the eve of the competition final week, Rasoulof revealed that he had escaped Iran, telling The Guardian that he made an “exhausting and extremely dangerous” journey on foot.
“We are particularly touched to welcome (Rasoulof) here as a filmmaker. Our joy will be that of all festival-goers and all freedom-loving Iranians,” Fremaux advised AFP earlier this week.
“We would like to reaffirm the support of the Cannes Film Festival for all artists around the world who suffer violence and reprisals in the expression of their art.”
Rasoulof advised AFP final week that he feared for the “safety and well-being” of fellow filmmakers in Iran.
“The global film community must provide strong support to the makers of these films,” he stated in an announcement.
Rasoulof received the Berlin Film Festival’s high prize, the Golden Bear, in 2020 for “There Is No Evil” and received the Un Certain Regard part at Cannes with “A Man of Integrity” in 2017.
© 2024 AFP