Oscars Invites Renowned Iranian Filmmaker Bahram Beyzai to Join Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited acclaimed Iranian filmmaker, playwright, and screenwriter Bahram Beyzai, and award-winning Iranian director Maryam Keshavarz to become members of the Academy.

This invitation is part of the Academy's announcement on Tuesday that 487 artists and motion picture executives worldwide have been selected for membership.

”We are thrilled to welcome this year’s class of new members to the Academy,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang in a joint statement. “These remarkably talented artists and professionals from around the world have made a significant impact on our filmmaking community.”

Beyzai has been selected to join two branches including the Writers and Directors branches of the organization according to the announcement. Upon accepting membership he must select one of the branches.

Keshavarz, known for her works such as “Circumstance” and “The Persian Version” has been selected to join the directors' branch.

Beyzai known for his films including “When We Are All Asleep” and “Killing Mad Dogs” left Iran in 2010 after consistently facing censorship and bans on his works on Iran and interrogations by security forces.

Following the 1979 revolution in Iran, Beyzayi’s works "Ballad of Tara" and "Death of Yazdgerd" were denied screening permits by the Iranian authorities amid censorship and crackdown on filmmakers, artists, and media which has continued since.

In April this year, Beyzai rejected an invitation to return to Iran stating that he refuses to be censored by the government or be forced into self-censorship.