Here we go again.
The vultures within the Iranian government have arrested filmmaker Jafar Panahi. For what? Protesting fellow filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof‘s arrest.
If you remember, Rasoulof won the Golden Bear for “There is No Evil” just a year ago. It was a political statement about the Iranian government’s incarceration system. Now Panahi, who was previously jailed, is back in the slammer.
Panahi and Rasoulof were arrested together in 2011 for filming without a permit. They were given a six-year prison sentence, Panahi served the remainder of his sentence on house arrest .
Panahi, the filmmaker behind “This is Not A Film” and “The Circle,” both brilliant, has a new movie set to premiere at Venice in September, this one titled “No Bears.” He’s clearly not going to attend that premiere.
At the moment, our thoughts are with both he and Rasoulof. Creating art, with total freedom of expression, is a human right that should not be messed with.