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Parastoo Sepehri

A group of prominent Iranian film directors recently wrote a letter in which they protest ‎to cinema censorship in the country. Rooz spoke with some leading film directors such as ‎Dariush Mehrjuyi, Bahram Beyzai, Kiyoomars PourAhmadi, Manijeh Hekmat, ‎Mohammad Rasoolov, Saman Saloor and Masoud Dehnamaki about their letter in which ‎they protest to the controls that have been imposed by the government on the cinema ‎industry in Iran. Here is a roundup.‎

Film director Dariush Mehrjooyi whose films have made it to numerous international ‎film festival, told Rooz, “I support the group efforts of those involved in the cinema ‎industry. Even though my film “Sanstoori” received awards at last year’s Fajr Film ‎Festival (Iran’s largest annual film festival) and obtained release permits, it was ‎nevertheless banned because of a personal decision. I now stay at home because I do not ‎see the current atmosphere suitable for making films.”‎

Another film director Bahram Beyzayi, who is also a familiar name in international ‎cinema, said, “In the letter, I support the protest to disregard to independent and cultural ‎cinema. I protest to the fate of those who are dedicated to making such films. Those ‎involved in the production of cultural and independent movies are being bypassed to the ‎point where this genre is being eliminated altogether.”‎

In response to the question whether the recent protest letter would make any difference in ‎correcting the wrong trend in Iranian cinema, Kiyoomars PoorAhmadi, another ‎prominent director whose film also received a number of awards during last year’s Fajr ‎Festival said, “I am not optimistic that anything special would take place. Still, every ‎protest bears its imprint. These people unfortunately have come to believe that they are ‎our bosses and employers. The protest is to show them that we are independent. They ‎must come to understand that cinema professionals are here to stay, while they will go. ‎They hold on to a desk, which they will have to abandon after a few years.”‎

The officials of the Fajr Film festival did not allow the movie “Three Women” directed ‎by Ms Manijeh Hekmat to participate at the festival this year. Regarding the protest letter ‎she said, “Our movie goers have dignity and respect, they have cultural questions, they ‎are interested in cinema. Film professionals in this country have been through different ‎periods, and now our patience has run out.” Responding to what could be the reasons ‎why her movie was not allowed to participate at the festival, she said, “Because I was ‎expecting to face such problems, I decided to refrain from sending my film to the festival. ‎I have problems with authorities about getting the permit to release the movie to cinema ‎theatres, even as I continue my negotiations with them. I think my situation is better than ‎those of my colleagues.”‎

Mohammad Rasoolov, another prominent film director who put his signature on the ‎public letter said, “Movies have always been under the control. Now, the way they do it ‎is much worse. Unfortunately some people have problems with independent cinema. ‎They have problems with the term “independent”. They believe that from the moment ‎that you start thinking till the time you produce your product, you must remain under ‎supervision.”‎

Salam Saloor, another prominent director, said, “This letter is a natural response to the ‎humiliation of independent cinema being pushed aside that. This trend is not new and had ‎begun earlier. Our protest is against the unfair censorship that is exercised over these ‎films. These are the films that do not enjoy government support in the form of loans or ‎Farabi Institution resources, while they have always presented the respectful face of ‎Iranian cinema outside the country.”‎

The pressures and censorship on independent Iranian cinema and such directors are so ‎great that even those film makers such as Masoud Dehnamaki who are close to the ‎regime, find it difficult to tolerate or remain silent. Regarding the protest letter he said, ‎‎“This letter expresses only part of the grievances of the cinema professionals. Our cinema ‎industry currently suffers from structural, content and even production problems. ‎Different and personal standards are applied in the industry at different times. This results ‎in that there are always some people who are happy and others who are not. I think ‎cinema must be viewed professionally, and not factionally.” When we asked him whether ‎he would sign the petition, he was not clear but said, “The problems mentioned in the ‎letter are some of the issues facing Iran’s cinema industry, and not all of them. Some of ‎the issues that are raised in the petition are my issues too.”‎