According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jafar Panahi (Taxi, No Bears) condemned the Iranian Republic suppressing protests, that caused thousands, at the Berlin Film Festival. Panahi expanded on his thoughts in The Hollywood Reporter discussion in Berlin on Thursday with Scott Roxborough, European Bureau Chief.
Panahi stated in the interview:
They wanted to give me the Golden Bear I had won for Taxi, and I refused it, because of the situation in Iran. An unbelievable crime has happened. Mass murder has happened. People are not even allowed to mourn their loved ones… The regime is forcing them into these acts. People do not want violence. They avoid violence. It is the regime that forces violence upon them.
He decided to speak on his political stance despite avoiding it:
Artists try to avoid being politically active, but socially engaged artists cannot stay silent about what happens in society. That is why so many artists, actors and actresses, and superstars have stood with the people of Iran and now face consequences. We have many artists in prison- documentary filmmakers as well. During previous protests and demonstrations, filmmakers were arrested. When an artist is silent, they are complicit in violence.
Panahi was sentenced to a year in prison for “propaganda activities” in December as he toured outside Iran for his film It Was Just an Accident. As the film was nominated for best original screenplay and best international feature for the Oscars, Panahi stated he will go back to Iran after the awards.
Half of my existence is in Iran — my family, my mother, my sister, my brother, my son, my friends, and the society I work for. If I did not return, I would betray what I believe. As a socially engaged filmmaker, my duty is to stand with the people I belong to. A doctor can save lives anywhere. But my cinema exists there. I must go back and make films there. That is the right thing to do. I will return, 100 percent, because of who I am and because of my beliefs.
Panahi said in The Hollywood Reporter interview.
The IIFMA, also known as the Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association brought attention to creatives who both died and were held back in the last repression in addition to Panahi’s denouncement. Board Member Mahshid Zamani shared footage and documents of the January 8 and 9 protests. He proceeded to read the names of different creatives who were affected. An applause followed after each name. A flash mob created by the IIFMA later occurred in Berlin’s festival district, honoring different actors, musicians, filmmakers and other artists.
The IIFMA released the name of the artists who have been killed:
Amir-Ali Zarei – musician, art student
Ahmad Abbasi – filmmaker
Foad Safayi – musician
Javad Ganji – filmmaker
Mehdi Salahshour – sculptor
Melikah Dastyah – musician
Mohammad “Shahou” Shirazi – singer
Mostafa Rabeti – filmmaker
Pouya Faragardi – musician
Reyhaneh Yousefi – actor
Sahba Rashtian – painter and animation director
Sanam Pourbabaei – musician
Shabnam Ferdowsi – puppeteer, graphic designer
Shokoufeh Abdi – photographer
Sorena Golgoun – musician
Yaser Modir-Rousta – musician
Zohre Shamaeizade – script supervisor and voice actor
Below are a list of creatives who are detained:
Navid Zarehbin – filmmaker
Ghazale Vakili – actor
Kimia Mousavi – artist
Dawood Abbasi – filmmaker and cinematographer
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