Mohammad Rasoulof
Iranian filmmaker
- director
- producer
- screenwriter
- editor
Mohammad Rasoulof (Persian: محمد رسولاف; born 16 November 1972) is an Iranian independent filmmaker who lives in exile in Europe. He is known for several award-winning films, including The Twilight (2002), Iron Island (2005), Goodbye (2011), Manuscripts Don't Burn (2013), A Man of Integrity (2017) and There Is No Evil (2020). For the latter, he won the Golden Bear at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival.
He has been arrested several times and had his passport confiscated, as the nature and content of his films has brought him into conflict with the Iranian Government. In May 2024, following the announcement that his film The Seed of the Sacred Fig was selected in the main competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Mohammad Rasoulof was sentenced by the Islamic Republic to 8 years in prison, whipping, and a fine.[2][3][4][5][6] Rasoulof fled to a safe house in Germany after the sentencing.[7]
Early life and education
Mohammad Rasoulof was born on 16 November 1972 in Shiraz, Iran.[8] He graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology from Shiraz University, and he has studied film editing at Soore University, Tehran.[9]
Career
His first feature-length film, The Twilight (Gagooman), was released in 2002 and was awarded with the Crystal Simorgh for the Best First Film at the Fajr Film Festival in Tehran.[10] His second feature, Iron Island (Jazire-ye ahani), was released in 2005. His feature The White Meadows (Keshtzarha-ye sepid) was released in 2009.[citation needed]
Goodbye (Be omid-e didar) premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival in the section Un Certain Regard and won the prize for directing.[11] His film Manuscripts Don't Burn was also screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival[12] where it won the FIPRESCI Prize.[13] A Man of Integrity won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017.[citation needed]
There Is No Evil was awarded the Golden Bear in the main competition section at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival in 2020,[14] and the Sydney Film Prize in 2021.[15]
Legal problems and exile
In 2010, Rasoulof was arrested on set and accused of filming without a permit. He was sentenced to six years in prison, later reduced to one year.[16]
In September 2017 his passport was confiscated upon his return to Iran, meaning he became mamnu'-ol-xoruğ (Persian: ممنوعالخروج), i.e. banned from leaving the country. Furthermore, he was ordered to attend a court hearing.[17]
On 23 July 2019, Rasoulof was convicted by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Iran to one-year imprisonment and a two-year ban on leaving the country and on participation in social and political activity because of his film A Man of Integrity. He is accused of "gathering and collusion against national security and of propaganda against the system". In August 2019 Rasoulof appealed the verdict. On his way to the court, in an act of professional solidarity, he and his lawyer were accompanied by some of the most renowned Iranian filmmakers, including Kianoush Ayyari, Majid Barzegar, Reza Dormishian, Asghar Farhadi, Bahman Farmanara, Rakhshān Banietemad, Fatemeh Motamed-Arya, Jafar Panahi, and Hasan Pourshirazi.[18]
On 4 March 2020, Rasoulof was sentenced to one year in prison for three of his movies, which were considered "propaganda against the system". The verdict also included a ban on making films for two years. He has stated that he intends to appeal the decision and will not turn himself in, considering the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which had already led Iran to release 54,000 prisoners temporarily in order to prevent the virus from spreading.[19]
Rasoulof was originally scheduled to take part in the 2023 Cannes Film Festival as a jury member of the Un Certain Regard section. However, he was arrested in July 2022 after criticising the government's crackdown on protestors in the southwestern city of Abadan over a deadly building collapse. He was temporarily released from prison in February 2023 due to his health. Rasoulof was later pardoned and sentenced to a year in prison and a two-year ban on leaving Iran for "propaganda against the regime."[20]
Following the announcement that his film The Seed of the Sacred Fig was selected in the main competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, the cast and crew were interrogated by Iranian authorities, banned from leaving the country, and pressured to convince Rasoulof to withdraw the film from the festival line-up.[21][22][23] On 8 May 2024, Rasoulof's lawyer announced that the director has been sentenced to eight years in prison as well as flogging, a fine and confiscation of his property.[24][25]
Shortly after, Rasoulof, and some crew members, managed to flee from Iran.[26] While appealing his sentence, Rasoulof planned his "exhausting, long, complicated, and anguishing journey" out of Iran, which took a total of 28 days. He traveled on foot for several hours with a guide to a village at the border on the Iranian side, where he waited for the appropriate time to cross. He was transferred to a safe house in a village on the non-Iranian side, where he waited for an extended period of time. He was then moved to a town with a German consulate. His passport had been seized by Iranian authorities, so he had no documents to identify himself. However, Rasoulof previously lived in Germany so he contacted the German authorities, who were able to identify him using his fingerprints and issued him a temporary travel document which he used to travel to Germany.[27][28][29] On 24 May 2024, he attended the red carpet in Cannes, where later he received a Special Prize award for his film.[30][31]
Filmography
| Year | English Title | Original Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Twilight | گاگومان | Yes | Yes | No | Docu-Fiction |
| 2005 | Iron Island | جزیره آهنی | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2008 | Head Wind | باد دبور | Yes | Yes | Yes | Documentary |
| 2009 | The White Meadows | کشتزارهای سپید | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2010 | Gesher | No | No | Yes | ||
| 2011 | Goodbye | به امید دیدار | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2013 | Manuscripts Don't Burn | دستنوشتهها نمیسوزند | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2017 | A Man of Integrity | لِرد | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2019 | The Red Hatchback | هاچبک قرمز | No | Yes | Yes | Co-written with Ashkan Najafi; Co-produced with Kaveh Farnam, Farzad Pak, Rozita Hendijanian |
| 2019 | Son-Mother | مادر-پسر | No | Yes | Yes | Co-produced with Kaveh Farnam, Farzad Pak |
| 2020 | There Is No Evil | شیطان وجود ندارد | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2022 | Jenayat-e amdi | جنایت عمدی | Yes | Yes | Yes | Documentary |
| 2024 | The Seed of the Sacred Fig | دانه انجیر مقدس | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year[a] | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide Film Festival | 2017 | International Feature Award - Best Feature | Nominated | [32] | |
| Amiens International Film Festival | 2011 | — | Golden Unicorn for Career Achievement | Won | [33] |
| Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival | 2011 | Goodbye (Be omid e didar) | Youth Jury Award | Won | [34] |
| SIYAD (Cinema Writer's Foundation) Jury Award | Won | ||||
| 2017 | Best Director | Won | [35] | ||
| Asia Pacific Screen Awards | 2011 | Goodbye (Be omid e didar) | Best Film | Nominated | [36] |
| Achievement in Directing | Nominated | [36] | |||
| 2017 | Best Film | Nominated | [37] | ||
| Avanca Film Festival | 2007 | Iron Island (Jazireh ahani) | Cinema Prize - Feature Film | Won | [38] |
| Script Prize | Won | [38] | |||
| Berlin International Film Festival | 2020 | Golden Bear for Best Film | Won | [39] | |
| Prize of the Ecumenical Jury | Won | [40] | |||
| Guild Film Prize | Won | [41] | |||
| Cannes Film Festival | 2011 | Goodbye (Be omid e didar) | Un Certain Regard - Directing Prize | Won | [42] |
| Un Certain Regard Award | Nominated | ||||
| François Chalais Award - Special Mention | Won | ||||
| 2013 | Un Certain Regard Award | Nominated | |||
| FIPRESCI Prize - Un Certain Regard | Won | ||||
| 2017 | Un Certain Regard Award | Won | [43] | ||
| 2024 | Special Prize award | Won | [31] | ||
| Chicago International Film Festival | 2011 | Goodbye (Be omid e didar) | Gold Hugo for Best International Feature | Nominated | |
| 2017 | A man of Integrity (Lerd) | Gold Hugo for Best Feature | Nominated | ||
| Silver Hugo for Best Screenplay | Won | ||||
| chlotrudis awards | 2007 | Iron Island (Jazireh ahani) | Buried Treasure | Won | |
| Crested Butte Film Festival | 2020 | Courage in Filmmaking | Won | ||
| Denver International Film Festival | 2010 | Krzysztof Kieslowski Award - Best Film | Won | ||
| Dubai International Film Festival | 2009 | Muhr AsiaAfrica Special Jury Prize - Feature | Won | ||
| Muhr AsiaAfrica Award - Best Feature | Nominated | ||||
| 2011 | Goodbye (Be omid e didar) | Muhr AsiaAfrica Award - Best Feature | Nominated | ||
| Durban International Film Festival | 2010 | Best Feature Film | Won | ||
| 2012 | Goodbye (Be omid e didar) | Special Mention - Feature Film | Won | ||
| Fajr International Film Festival | 2003 | Crystal Simorgh for Best First Film | Won | ||
| Fribourg International Film Festival | 2014 | Manuscripts Don't Burn (Dast-neveshtehaa nemisoosand) | Don Quijote Award - Special Mention | Won | |
| Grand Prix | Nominated | ||||
| Ghent International Film Festival | 2017 | A man of Integrity (Lerd) | Grand Prix - Best Film | Nominated | |
| Gijón International Film Festival | 2005 | Iron Island (Jazireh ahani) | Special Jury Award | Won | |
| Grand Prix Asturias - Best Film | Nominated | ||||
| Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival | 2017 | A man of Integrity (Lerd) | FIPRESCI Prize | Won | |
| Hamburg Film Festival | 2005 | Iron Island (Jazireh ahani) | Critics Award | Won | |
| 2013 | Manuscripts Don't Burn (Dast-neveshtehaa nemisoosand) | Political Film Award | Won | ||
| 2017 | A man of Integrity (Lerd) | Critics Award | Nominated | ||
| Hong Kong International Film Festival | 2012 | Goodbye (Be omid e didar) | SIGNIS Award | Nominated | |
| International Film Festival of India | 2005 | Iron Island (Jazireh ahani) | Golden Peacock - Best Film | Won | |
| 2017 | A man of Integrity (Lerd) | Golden Peacock - Best Film | Nominated | ||
| Iran Cinema Celebration | 2002 | Best Documentary | Won | ||
| Jerusalem Film Festival | 2017 | A man of Integrity (Lerd) | The Wilf Family Foundation Award - Honorable Mention | Won | |
| The Wilf Family Foundation Award - Best International Film | Nominated | ||||
| Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival | 2017 | A man of Integrity (Lerd) | Jaeger - LeCoultre Best Film Award | Nominated | |
| Milwaukee Film Festival | 2012 | Goodbye (Be omid e didar) | Festival Prize - Best Director | Won | |
| Festival Prize - Best Film | Nominated | ||||
| Montréal Festival of New Cinema | 2005 | Iron Island (Jazireh ahani) | Special Mention | Won | |
| Screenplay Award - Best Script | Won | ||||
| Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Festival | 2013 | — | Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | |
| Rotterdam International Film Festival | 2012 | Goodbye (Be omid e didar) | Dioraphte Award | Won | |
| San Sebastián International Film Festival | 2009 | Golden Shell for Best Film | Nominated | ||
| Sydney Film Festival | 2021 | Sydney Film Prize | Won | ||
| Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival | 2005 | Iron Island (Jazireh ahani) | Grand Prize | Nominated | |
| Telluride Film Festival | 2013 | — | Silver Medallion Award | Won | |
| Tokyo FILMeX | 2011 | Goodbye (Be omid e didar) | Grand Prize | Nominated | |
| Tribeca Film Festival | 2010 | Jury Award - Best Narrative Feature | Nominated | ||
| Valladolid International Film Festival | 2018 | — | Honorary Spike | Won |
- ^ Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.
References
- ^ A Man of Integrity
- ^ Shoard, Catherine (8 May 2024). "Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof sentenced to eight years in prison and flogging". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (8 May 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof Sentenced To Eight Years In Prison, Flogging & Confiscation Of Property, Says Lawyer". Deadline. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ "Iranian Filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison and Flogging, Lawyer Says". IMDb. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman; Vivarelli, Nick (8 May 2024). "Iranian Filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison and Flogging, Lawyer Says". Variety. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ "Mohammad Rasoulof Flees Iran for Europe After Receiving 8-Year Prison Sentence for Cannes-Bound 'Seed of the Sacred Fig'". Variety. 13 May 2024.
- ^ Galuppo, Mia (13 May 2024). "Dissident Iranian Filmmaker Rasoulof Flees Country: "With a Heavy Heart, I Chose Exile"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ Silverdocs Film Festival Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Mohammad Rasoulof Biography (in English)
- ^ IFFR 2022: Mohammad Rasoulof
- ^ "Internet Movie Database" 17 March 2010 "Source 2" 23 December 2020
- ^ Veli-Pekka Lehtonen, Elokuva nimeltä Tämä ei ole elokuva, Helsingin Sanomat, 21 May 2011 p. C 5
- ^ "2013 Official Selection". Cannes. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ^ "Cannes: 'The Missing Picture' Wins Un Certain Regard Prize". Hollywood Reporter. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
- ^ Meza, Ed (29 February 2020). "Berlin Film Festival 2020: 'There Is No Evil' Wins Golden Bear". Variety. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ Jefferson, Dee (14 November 2021). "Sydney Film Festival's top prize goes to Mohammad Rasoulof's There Is No Evil, about capital punishment in Iran". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Iranian Students News Agency 20 December 2010 "Source 3 Archived 23 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine" 22 December 2010
- ^ "Iran Confiscated Mohammad Rasoulof's Passport". www.hollywoodreporter. 18 September 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
- ^ "Hamrahi-ye Chehreha-ye Shakhes-e Sinama-ye Iran ba Rasoulof ta Dadgah : Hame bara-ye yeki (Famous Person of Iranian Sinema Accompany Rasoulof to the Court : All for One)". hamdelidaily.ir. Retrieved 8 August 2019.(fa)
- ^ "Golden Bear winner Mohammad Rasoulof sentenced to jail in Iran". The Guardian. Associated Press. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (22 April 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof Sets Cannes Return with 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' — Though Whether He'll Be There in Person Is Unclear". IndieWire. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ "Iranian authorities ban film crew from attending Cannes Film Festival". euronews. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ "Cannes: Iranian Authorities Pressuring 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' Director to Withdraw Film from Competition". World of Reel. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ Rosser, Michael (1 May 2024). "Iran bans actors, crew of Mohammed Rasoulof's 'The Seed Of The Sacred Fig' from attending Cannes". Screen International. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ "Iranian Authorities Sentence 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' Director to 8 Years in Prison and Flogging". World of Reel. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (8 May 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof Sentenced To Eight Years In Prison, Flogging & Confiscation Of Property, Says Lawyer". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Chrisafis, Angelique; Shoard, Catherine (13 May 2024). "Iranian film director Mohammad Rasoulof flees Iran to avoid prison". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (23 May 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof On His "Anguishing" 28-Day Journey To Escape Iran After Covertly Shooting 'The Seed Of The Sacred Fig' & How He Landed In Germany – Cannes". Deadline. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Zilko, Christian (18 May 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof Details His 'Exhausting and Dangerous' Escape from Iran Before 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' Debuts at Cannes". IndieWire. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (24 May 2024). "How Mohammad Rasoulof Escaped Iran and Why He Will Continue Fighting: "I Will Never Forget That the Islamic Republic Is a Terrorist"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Yuan, Jada (24 May 2024). "Iranian director risks Cannes appearance after escaping arrest". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b "List of winners at the 77th Cannes Film Festival". Associated Press. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ "Adelaide Film Festival Winners Announced". HEAVY Magazine. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Amiens 2011 : avec Joe Dante et Mohammad Rasoulof | Accréds l'actualité des festivals de cinéma". Accreds.fr. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
- ^ "Antalya Golden Orange FF 2011: Winner -We Will See Good Days". FilmNewEurope.com. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
- ^ "Antalya Film Festival winners announced | Daily Sabah". Daily Sabah. 28 October 2017.
- ^ a b Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2011
- ^ Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2017
- ^ a b "Awards 2007". Festival de Cinema de Avanca (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "'There is No Evil' Wins Golden Bear at Berlin Film Festival". 29 February 2020.
- ^ "Berlinale Ecumenical Jury Prize goes to Iranian dissident film | by Anli Serfontein | From Rock to Kraut — The Blog | Medium". March 2020.
- ^ "Berlin Film Festival Winners: Banned Iranian Director Mohammad Rasoulof's 'There is No Evil' Takes Golden Bear – Full List". 29 February 2020.
- ^ "Absent Iranian Wins Cannes Prize". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty.
- ^ "Rebellious Iranian filmmaker wins major prize at Cannes | DW | 27.05.2017". Deutsche Welle.
External links
- Mohammad Rasoulof at IMDb
- International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran blog - 21 December 2010: Panahi's Lawyer Concerned About Severe, Disproportionate Sentence
- Slant Magazine Archived 3 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine - Articles tagged "Mohammad Rasoulof"
- Silverdocs Film Festival - Biographical information for "Mohammad Rasoulof"
- Kino International - US distributor's presskit for Rasoulof's feature, "Iron Island"
- v
- t
- e
Films directed by Mohammad Rasoulof
- The Twilight (2002)
- Iron Island (2005)
- The White Meadows (2009)
- Be Omid-e Didar (2011)
- Manuscripts Don't Burn (2013)
- A Man of Integrity (2017)
- There Is No Evil (2020)
- The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024)
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