Iranian Culture Minister Denounces Dissident Director’s Film

Iran's Culture Minister, Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili, has condemned the production and distribution of Mohammad Rasoulof's film, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, labeling it "illegal".

Following its acceptance into the Cannes Film Festival, Esmaeili criticized the film's "underground" production without authorization from the ministry and its participation in international festivals.

Esmaeili warned that his ministry, along with unnamed legal institutions, will actively pursue such "violations" wherever detected.

The hardline stance was further highlighted by Rasoulof’s lawyer, Babak Paknia, who disclosed on April 29 that several crew members associated with the film have been summoned by authorities, with some facing interrogation and others barred from international travel.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig delves into themes of protest associated with the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran in 2023, spurred by the death in custody of Kurdish Iranian Mahsa Amini for not having a “proper” hijab. The subsequent protests saw over 500 individuals killed by regime forces.

The Cannes selection of Rasoulof's film has precipitated repercussions for the director himself. According to Paknia, Rasoulof has been sentenced to eight years in prison, alongside punishments including lashes, a fine, and property confiscation—a verdict upheld on appeal. Rasoulof, arrested in July 2022 for his activism, faces ongoing restrictions, including a travel ban, despite his release later that year.

The international and domestic outcry over Rasoulof's treatment is intensifying. Prominent organizations, including the Association of Independent Filmmakers and the Iranian Writers' Association, have rallied for an immediate and unconditional reversal of his sentence, signaling growing dissent against the Iranian government's crackdown on freedom of expression and human rights.