Iran Sentences Filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof to Eight Years in Prison Before Cannes Film Festival Premiere

The Islamic Republican of Iran has sentenced filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof to eight years in prison just before his film’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Rasoulof’s lawyer, Babak Paknia, shared on X that his client had been sentenced to eight years in prison by the Islamic Revolution Court. His punishment also includes flogging, a fine, and confiscation of property.

“Sentenced to eight years of imprisonment (5 years applicable), whipping, fine and confiscation of property according to the verdict issued by the 29th branch of the Islamic Revolution Court. This judgment was confirmed in the 36th branch of the Aina Court of Appeal and now the case has been sent to the execution of the judgments,” wrote Paknia.

Paknia said that the ruling stemmed from the filmmaker “signing statements and making films and documentaries, which in the court’s opinion, these actions are examples of collusion with the intention of committing a crime against the country’s security.”

According to Variety, Rasoulof was incarcerated by “Iranian authorities in July 2022 after he posted an appeal urging Iranian security forces to stop using weapons during protests prompted by a building collapse in the southwestern city of Abadan. He was released in February 2023 for health reasons.”

“Earlier, Rasoulof was not allowed by Iranian authorities to attend the Berlinale in 2020. That year, the director’s daughter, Baran Rasoulof, who stars in There Is No Evil, picked up his Golden Bear,” it added. “Last year, in May, Rasoulof was banned from leaving Iran to serve as a member of the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard jury.”

Prior to his sentencing, Iranian authorities had put heavy pressure on The Seed and the Sacred Fig, with Paknia saying the government had repeatedly harassed the film’s producers and had pressured Rasoulof to pull it from the Cannes Film Festival.

“Some of the film’s actors have been banned from leaving, and according to their statements, after several hours of interrogation, they were asked to ask the director to remove the film from the Cannes festival,” Paknia said.

The Cannes Film Festival has not issued a statement as of this writing. The distribution company Kino Lorber said they were “horrified” by the news.

“We are horrified by the news of Mohammad Rasoulof’s cruel sentencing at the hands of Iran’s hardline government. We are proud to have distributed his films There Is No Evil and Manuscripts Don’t Burn, both of which demonstrate incredible artistic bravery,” it said.

“We strongly denounce all acts of censorship and join the international film community in support of Rasoulof, his collaborators, and all Iranian artists making crucial work under oppressive circumstances,” it added.

Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning Christian tech thriller, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free rental can also be streamed on Google Play, Vimeo on Demand, or YouTube Movies. Follow on X @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.