Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.
iranwire – Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi said on Thursday that he plans to return to Iran immediately after the world premiere of his new film, despite facing a confirmed prison sentence at home.
“I have never thought about exile, even with the threat of prison in the country,” Panahi told reporters at the Marrakech International Film Festival.
The acclaimed director was recently convicted in absentia by a Tehran court on charges of “propaganda activity against the Islamic Republic” and sentenced to one year in prison and a two-year travel ban, according to his lawyer, Mostafa Neili, who said he plans to appeal the verdict.
Panahi’s latest film, “It Was Just an Accident,” was made without official authorization and does not feature Iran’s mandatory hijab.
The filmmaker was arrested in 2022 and held in Tehran’s Evin Prison for nearly seven months. He was temporarily released on bail after staging a hunger strike.
Panahi has faced government restrictions for years, including multiple travel bans.
Ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, Iranian security forces reportedly increased pressure on the film’s production team, and several crew members were summoned for questioning.
France has submitted Panahi’s film as its entry for Best International Feature at the Academy Awards.
Despite repeated clashes with authorities over his work, Panahi remains one of Iran’s most internationally celebrated directors.
