We learn with anger and anxiety the decision of the Court of the Islamic Republic in Tehran, overwhelmingly condemning the Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. The sentence: six years in prison, twenty-year ban on writing and directing films, to give interviews to the media to leave the country and to interact with foreign cultural organizations.
Another filmmaker, Mohammad Rassoulov, was also sentenced to six years in prison. Jafar Panahi Mohammad Rassoulov and will join the Many prisoners languishing in jail in Iran, in a state of total distress. Some make the hunger strike, others are seriously ill.
What's wrong with the Iranian government Jafar Panahi? Of having conspired against his country and led a campaign opposed to the Iranian regime. The truth is that Jafar Panahi was innocent and that his only crime is to want to continue to freely practice his craft as a filmmaker in Iran. For several months the Iranian government has set up against him a war machine to destroy it, to lock him by forcing him to shut up.
Jafar Panahi is a filmmaker and his films were shown worldwide. Invited by most major film festivals (Cannes, Venice, Berlin), he is now prevented from continuing his work as a filmmaker. The heavy sentence that strikes deprives him of freedom, physically and morally prevented from exercising his work as a filmmaker. It must now be silent, refrain from any contact with his fellow filmmakers in Iran and worldwide.
Through this sentence strikes Jafar Panahi, the Iranian cinema is all that is clearly targeted.
This conviction we revolt and we are shocked. So call us filmmakers, actors and actresses, screenwriters and producers, all film professionals as well as all the men and women who love freedom and for whom human rights are a fundamental thing, to join us in demanding the lifting of the conviction.
Join the call alongside the Festival de Cannes, SACD, the French Cinematheque, the ARP, the Swiss Film Archive, the International Film Festival of Locarno, the Forum des Images, Positive, the SRF, Cahiers Film, Citéphilo (Lille), France Culture, the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte di Venezia Cinematogafica, Culturesfrance, the Directors' Fortnight, Sarajevo Film Festival, Film Gindou, Simone Audiovisual Center de Beauvoir, Centre Culturel Pouya.
ENGLISH VERSION
We have just learnt, with great anger and concern, about the judgement of the Court of the Islamic Republic in Teheran, heavily condemning Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi.
The sentence: six years of imprisonment without remission, accompanied by a ban of twenty years on writing and making films, giving interviews to the press, leaving the territory, or communicating with foreign cultural organisations.
Another filmmaker, Mohammad Rassoulov, has been likewise sentenced to six years in prison. Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rassoulov are going to join the many prisoners now rotting in jail in Iran in a state of total distress. Some are on hunger strikes, while others are gravely ill.
What does the Iranian government reproach Jafar Panahi with? Having conspired against his country and carried out a campaign hostile to the Iranian regime.
The truth is that Jafar Panahi is innocent and his only crime is wishing to continue to freely exercise his profession as a filmmaker in Iran. Over the last few months the Iranian government has put into place against him nothing short of a machine of war in order to destroy him, while locking him up to silence him.
Jafar Panahi is a renowned filmmaker and his films have been shown all over the world. Invited by the greatest film festivals in the world (Cannes, Venice, Berlin), he is today prevented from pursuing his work as a filmmaker. The heavy sentence inflicted upon Jafar deprives him of his freedom, while preventing him both physically and morally from carrying out his work as a filmmaker. Henceforth, he must remain silent, refrain from any and all contact with his fellow filmmakers both in Iran and anywhere else in the world.
Through this sentence inflicted upon Jafar Panahi, it is manifestly all of Iranian cinema which is targeted.
This sentence both revolts and scandalises us. So, let us call upon all filmmakers, actors and actresses, screenwriters and producers, all motion-picture professionals as well as every man and woman who loves freedom and for whom human rights are fundamental, to join us in demanding the lifting of this award. Join the call
ALONGSIDE
of the Cannes Film Festival, SACD, the French Cinematheque, the ARP, the Swiss Film Archive, the International Film Festival of Locarno, the Forum des Images, Positive, the SRF, the Cahiers du cinema Citéphilo (Lille), France Culture, the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte di Venezia Cinematogafica, Culturesfrance, the Directors' Fortnight, Sarajevo Film Festival, Film Gindou, Audiovisual Centre Simone de Beauvoir, Cultural Centre Pouya.
Another filmmaker, Mohammad Rassoulov, was also sentenced to six years in prison. Jafar Panahi Mohammad Rassoulov and will join the Many prisoners languishing in jail in Iran, in a state of total distress. Some make the hunger strike, others are seriously ill.
What's wrong with the Iranian government Jafar Panahi? Of having conspired against his country and led a campaign opposed to the Iranian regime. The truth is that Jafar Panahi was innocent and that his only crime is to want to continue to freely practice his craft as a filmmaker in Iran. For several months the Iranian government has set up against him a war machine to destroy it, to lock him by forcing him to shut up.
Jafar Panahi is a filmmaker and his films were shown worldwide. Invited by most major film festivals (Cannes, Venice, Berlin), he is now prevented from continuing his work as a filmmaker. The heavy sentence that strikes deprives him of freedom, physically and morally prevented from exercising his work as a filmmaker. It must now be silent, refrain from any contact with his fellow filmmakers in Iran and worldwide.
Through this sentence strikes Jafar Panahi, the Iranian cinema is all that is clearly targeted.
This conviction we revolt and we are shocked. So call us filmmakers, actors and actresses, screenwriters and producers, all film professionals as well as all the men and women who love freedom and for whom human rights are a fundamental thing, to join us in demanding the lifting of the conviction.
Join the call alongside the Festival de Cannes, SACD, the French Cinematheque, the ARP, the Swiss Film Archive, the International Film Festival of Locarno, the Forum des Images, Positive, the SRF, Cahiers Film, Citéphilo (Lille), France Culture, the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte di Venezia Cinematogafica, Culturesfrance, the Directors' Fortnight, Sarajevo Film Festival, Film Gindou, Simone Audiovisual Center de Beauvoir, Centre Culturel Pouya.
ENGLISH VERSION
We have just learnt, with great anger and concern, about the judgement of the Court of the Islamic Republic in Teheran, heavily condemning Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi.
The sentence: six years of imprisonment without remission, accompanied by a ban of twenty years on writing and making films, giving interviews to the press, leaving the territory, or communicating with foreign cultural organisations.
Another filmmaker, Mohammad Rassoulov, has been likewise sentenced to six years in prison. Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rassoulov are going to join the many prisoners now rotting in jail in Iran in a state of total distress. Some are on hunger strikes, while others are gravely ill.
What does the Iranian government reproach Jafar Panahi with? Having conspired against his country and carried out a campaign hostile to the Iranian regime.
The truth is that Jafar Panahi is innocent and his only crime is wishing to continue to freely exercise his profession as a filmmaker in Iran. Over the last few months the Iranian government has put into place against him nothing short of a machine of war in order to destroy him, while locking him up to silence him.
Jafar Panahi is a renowned filmmaker and his films have been shown all over the world. Invited by the greatest film festivals in the world (Cannes, Venice, Berlin), he is today prevented from pursuing his work as a filmmaker. The heavy sentence inflicted upon Jafar deprives him of his freedom, while preventing him both physically and morally from carrying out his work as a filmmaker. Henceforth, he must remain silent, refrain from any and all contact with his fellow filmmakers both in Iran and anywhere else in the world.
Through this sentence inflicted upon Jafar Panahi, it is manifestly all of Iranian cinema which is targeted.
This sentence both revolts and scandalises us. So, let us call upon all filmmakers, actors and actresses, screenwriters and producers, all motion-picture professionals as well as every man and woman who loves freedom and for whom human rights are fundamental, to join us in demanding the lifting of this award. Join the call
ALONGSIDE
of the Cannes Film Festival, SACD, the French Cinematheque, the ARP, the Swiss Film Archive, the International Film Festival of Locarno, the Forum des Images, Positive, the SRF, the Cahiers du cinema Citéphilo (Lille), France Culture, the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte di Venezia Cinematogafica, Culturesfrance, the Directors' Fortnight, Sarajevo Film Festival, Film Gindou, Audiovisual Centre Simone de Beauvoir, Cultural Centre Pouya.
