Culture

Iranwire – It has been a year since outspoken artist and filmmaker Navid Mihandoost began serving his three-year sentence in Tehran’s Evin Prison. Neda Mihandoost, Navid’s sister, said that after his release on bail until he was taken to Evin Prison, her brother endured relentless pressure from the Ministry of Intelligence. The authorities persistently attempted to force him into cooperating …

Iranwire – Robert Dehnushi, a prominent Iranian concert organizer and former manager for renowned singer Googoosh, was fatally shot in Los Angeles, United States, on Thursday.  According to reports, the Los Angeles Police Department has launched an investigation into the murder.  One suspect has been arrested in connection with the shooting, though details about their identity have not been released. …

RFL/RE – An Iranian court has ordered Grammy Award winner Shervin Hajipour to begin his prison sentence for making the viral song Baraye, according to a July 30 Instagram post. The song became the anthem of the Women, Life, Freedom protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody. Hajipour said on Instagram that his almost …

iranintl – An increasing number of Iranian filmmakers are defying the country’s strict ideological censorship by making movies without seeking the Culture Ministry’s permission, for screening abroad. Many filmmakers are bypassing regulations requiring them to obtain approval at various stages of production, from screenplay inception to final screening and entry into international film festivals. These new independent films challenge compulsory …

iranintl – The Utah-based Baskerville Institute, has sparked controversy by hosting a secretive conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, attended by Iranian supporters of sanctioned terrorist Qasem Soleimani and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This association with proponents of the Islamic Republic has drawn sharp criticism from Iranian-American human rights activists, who argue it betrays Baskerville’s legacy of championing democratic ideals. The Institute …

ferl.org – Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof recalled how he had to decide within hours whether to go into exile or serve a prison sentence, saying it was still difficult to talk about it during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival on May 25. Rasoulof was in town for the premiere of his new drama The Seed Of The …

RFL/RE – Film director Mohammad Rasoulof, who made a dramatic on-foot escape from Iran, will attend the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of his new movie, organizers told AFP on May 21. The award-winning director will be on the French Cote d’Azur on May 24 when The Seed Of The Sacred Fig competes for the top prize Palme d’Or, …

Iranwire – “You do not have the right to enter the exhibition with this cover,” one of the Basij women patrolling in front of the entrance gate of the Tehran Book Fair said to a girl attempting to enter. She directed the girl to a nearby booth called “A Good Feeling.” The girl responded, “I came from home with this …

VOA – Film director Mohammad Rasoulof, who has secretly fled Iran for an undisclosed location in Europe, urged the world film community on Tuesday to provide “strong support” to his colleagues. Rasoulof, who was sentenced to jail on national security charges, and whose latest movie will compete at this month’s Cannes film festival, said he fears for the “safety and …

RFL/RE – Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof on May 13 said he had left Iran in secret after being informed that he had been sentenced to flogging and eight years in prison on security-related charges. Rasoulof, who has been convicted of “collusion to act against national security,” said in a statement that he had left for Europe days earlier. His statement …