Entertainment


Veteran Iranian filmmaker Md Rasoulof in no hurry to direct next film

Tehran, Aug 11 (UNI) Internationally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof – known for his complex and politically charged films – has said that he is in no hurry to follow up on another project after the success of his Oscar-nominated drama ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig.’
However, Rasoulof did imply that he may return to his homeland sooner rather than later after having spent more than a year in exile.

Rasoulof made a surprise appearance at the Locarno Film Festival to accept the inaugural Locarno City of Peace Award, created by the City of Locarno in collaboration with the festival to honour cultural figures who have advanced peace, diplomacy, and dialogue.

The jury for the new prize included former Swiss President Ruth Dreifuss, International Committee of the Red Cross assembly member Laura Sadis, Locarno Film Festival Honorary President Marco Solari, festival CEO Raphaël Brunschwig, and Locarno Mayor Nicola Pini.

Holding his work in high regard, Festival director Giona A. Nazzaro hailed Rasoulof’s work as “one of the highest and most accomplished expressions of humanism,” praising his refusal to “oversimplify the painful contradictions” between power, institutions, and individuals.

The filmmaker’s refusal to mask political realities and casting and showcasing them in depth has brought him frequently into conflict with the Iranian authorities, with ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ earning him an eight-year sentence. He marginally escaped his prison term, and only months prior has been living in Berlin in asylum.

Rasoulof’s ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ was screened last year on the Piazza Grande following its Competition premiere at Cannes. UNI ANV SSP
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