One of the biggest stories out of Cannes this year was Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof’s valiant escape from Iran after being sentenced to eight years in prison and flogging simply for making films that speak out against injustices going on in his home country.
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Rasoulof received a heroes welcome along the Croisette, where his latest film, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” debuted to rave reviews, earning him a Special Award from the Cannes jury led by Greta Gerwig. But despite its acclaim and his desire to follow the film wherever it screens, Rasoulof isn’t sure he’ll be able to be there to showcase it in the United States or North America, including for screenings at TIFF and NYFF this fall.
“I plan to travel to the United States for film screenings. However, since I still don’t have a passport and have to travel with the documents provided with the help of the city of Hamburg, I wonder if I’ll be able to travel outside of Europe,” Rasoulof told Variety in a recent interview.
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” is about a judge for the Revolutionary Court of Tehran dealing with stints of paranoia while the country is in the midst of protests. IndieWire’s review described it as “an extraordinarily gripping allegory about the corrupting costs of power and the suppression of women under a religious patriarchy.” It continues its roll out across the world with a screening tomorrow at Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland,
Rasoulof had earlier in his career faced harsh punishment for putting out films that criticize Iran’s authoritarian regime, facing interrogation, prison time, and even the loss of his passport, all of which the writer/director recently told Variety he was willing to handle. However, during his last stint in jail and in the midst of shooting “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” Rasoulof realized that being able to make films was more important than being stuck behind bars.
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“As a filmmaker, I had to choose between continuing to make my films or seeing myself as a victim and returning to prison,” Rasoulof said to Variety. “This decision gave me the strength to leave Iran. I knew it might be a long journey. Now, I feel like I am on a long business trip with unfinished tasks demanding my attention. Outside Iran, I have many good friends and great hopes that motivate me to put in more effort.”
Neon acquired “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” out of Cannes when it looked like it could be a frontrunner for the Palme d’Or (which went to another Neon title, Sean Baker’s “Anora”), and the distributor is planning a theatrical release this fall.
“Film distributors in Europe, especially Films Boutique and Parallel 45, have a deep and precise understanding of this type of cinema,” said Rasoulof of whom he’s working with to release the film. “On the other hand, working with a distributor like Neon, a thoroughly professional team with a complete understanding of a film’s path ahead, is very exciting. It is a pleasure to work with them.”
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