In Iran, the director and producer were imprisoned because their film was shown in Cannes
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Iranian director Saeed Rustai has been jailed for 6 months for the “unauthorized” screening of his film at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Security forces also arrested producer Javad Norouzbegi, reports The Guardian and Iran International. Both artists worked on the film “Layla’s Brothers” and received terms for “propaganda of the opposition against the Islamic system.” “Layla’s Brothers” is a complex story about a family struggling with economic difficulties in Tehran. The film has been banned in Iran since its release last year. At the same time, the film competed for the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and received an award from the International Federation of Film Critics. Iranian authorities said the filmmakers broke the rules when they presented the film at international film festivals without permission, and the director refused to “correct” it at the request of the Ministry of Culture. The creators of the film were sentenced to half a year in prison, but then a different punishment was awarded. Saeed and Jawad will serve 9 days in prison, and the rest of the term will be replaced by 5 years of probation. During this period, the convicted artists will be forced to undergo a “cinematography training course” – a specialized program at the State Television University in the religious city of Qom. The program will focus on “creating films in the national and ethical interest.” Also, the director and producer are obliged to refrain from past activities and communication with other professionals in the field of cinema. We will remind, 34-year-old Rustai gained international popularity in 2019, after the release of the film “Tehran’s Law” (also known as “Just 6.5”) – an uncompromising look at the drug problem in Iran and the ignorance of the police. Earlier, the Iranian journalist was tried for publications about the death of Mahsa Amini, who was detained by the “morality police”. Read also: “Enmity against God”: a court in Iran handed down the first death sentence to a participant in the protests
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