The Iranian filmmaking duo Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Saneeha have faced restrictions on travel outside of Iran since early 2024. Moghaddam cites the government’s “hidden agenda” against modernistic expressions, such as the ideas featured in their film My Favourite Cake. The film follows a 70 year old Iranian woman and features ideas controversial in Iranian culture, such as a woman living alone and not wearing a hijab, as well as people dancing and consuming alcohol.
Moghaddam and Saneeha had plans to attend the premiere of My Favorite Cake at the Berlin Film Festival in February, but were held by Iranian authorities when they tried to leave the country. Their passports had been confiscated, completely negating all future plans for international travel.
Variety reports the Iranian filmmakers are still facing restriction, having their passports taken for a second time early September, just a week after they’d been finally returned. The Swedish-Iranian Maryam Moghaddam, along with Saneeha, were meant to travel to My Favorite Cake’s Swedish premiere when they were met with the same interference by authorities and were held from leaving the country.
Moghaddam took to Instagram to recount the incident and personally call out Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, citing issues of “mental and psychological abuse, deception, and hypocrisy” against progression and reformation.
“Yesterday, just when I had set off to the airport to leave the country intending to pay a visit to my family in Sweden and attend our film’s premiere, my passport was confiscated at Tehran’s airport and I was informed that we(me and Behtash Sanaeeha)are barred from leaving the country again. It was only a week ago after our passports were given back to us.” Moghaddam writes. “I have really hard time to figure out why we were given back our passports when it was their intention not to let us leave.”
Further detailed in the post is the extent the duo had went through to have their passports returned, all well as the prior arrangements made to visit Moghaddam’s family and attend the premiere in Sweden.
Watch the film’s trailer here.
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