Dn an unprecedented moment in the history of cinema, four Iranian filmmakers find themselves this year on their way to the Oscars, under four different flags: A simple accident, by Jafar Panahi, for France; The things you kill, Alireza Khatami, for Canada; Black rabbit, white rabbit, by Shahram Mokri, for Tajikistan; And Cause of death: Unknown, by Ali Zarnegar, for Iran.
What might seem strange actually reveals a painful truth: Iranian independent cinema has lost its home; it has spread to the four corners of the world.
For a filmmaker who, like me, has long faced censorship, institutionalized patriarchy and systematic exclusion, until exile became the only possible path, this moment is made of contradictory emotions. The joy of seeing that, despite the bans, the free voice of Iranian cinema still crosses borders. And the sadness of seeing that Iran, this battered homeland, can no longer welcome its child artists.
Jafar Panahi, who still lives in Iran, filmed A simple accident clandestinely, despite his ban on working. Barely released from his travel restrictions, he traveled to Cannes, where he won the Palme d’Or. And yet, it is France, not Iran, which is presenting his film. It’s not just an artistic choice: it’s a political gesture. The world supports a voice that its own country is trying to silence. Panahi was sentenced to a year in prison for some criticism expressed abroad. In the Islamic Republic, not only filming, but also speaking, can become a crime.
Four trajectories, one story
Alireza Khatami, based outside Iran, tried for years to film The things you kill in his country. His refusal of censorship earned him repeated refusals of filming permits. He had to make his film in Türkiye, in Turkish, with the constant regret of not having been able to film in Persian. This year, it is Canada that has its voice. The question remains: why does an Iranian filmmaker have to leave his country to be seen?
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