Iranian filmmaker sentenced to whipping, confiscation and five years in prison

Venice Film Festival winner Mohammad Rasoulof accused of “collusion against national security”

Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, winner of the Berlin Film Festival with “There Is No Evil” (2020), was sentenced to five years in prison for “collusion against national security”, as revealed by his lawyer Babak Paknia this Wednesday (8 /5). In addition to prison, the verdict includes whipping, fines and confiscation of property. This information was released by the lawyer on the social network X, while Iran’s official media remains silent about the case.

Prison and activism

Rasoulof was arrested in July 2022 after expressing support for the protests that took place in Iran due to the collapse of a building that resulted in the deaths of more than 40 people in the southwest of the country. During this period, he and other Iranian filmmakers issued an open letter demanding that security forces “lay down their arms” in response to public outrage over leaders’ corruption and incompetence.

Presence at Cannes

Rasoulof’s latest work, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”, was selected for the official competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, which begins on May 14th. The filmmaker, who is critical of the death penalty, now faces significant reprisals in his country as his work continues to be recognized internationally.