After his hasty flight from Iran, his latest film will represent Germany at the Oscars: a symbolic escape for director Mohammad Rasoulof, both grateful and overwhelmed to reach this point to have his art recognized. The seeds of the wild fig treehis paranoid thriller shot clandestinely in Iran, delighted critics and won the special jury prize at Cannes.
But the theocracy in power in Tehran did not submit this insight into a family dislocated by the weight of Iranian repression for the Oscar for best international film. “It is obviously unimaginable that the Islamic Republic could present such a film at the Oscars“, Mohammad Rasoulof told AFP before his release, Wednesday, November 27, in the United States. “In fact, if it were possible, the film would never have existed.“
It is Germany, a country where the filmmaker was exiled, which propels this feature film, widely expected to be nominated, into the race for statuettes. The announcement of the films chosen by the Academy of Oscars is scheduled for January 17, 2025 and the ceremony for March 2. The film was financed by French and German production companies.
“I am delighted that Germany saw the international scope of the film and opened its arms to it“, continues Mohammad Rasoulof. “It’s like carrying a torch, it’s a sign to filmmakers who work under duress around the world.“But he nevertheless confesses.”sweetheartr” faced with this situation. “I have quite conflicting feelings.” The film takes place in the midst of repression of the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, during which hundreds of people were killed, according to NGOs. We follow Iman, an investigating judge in the service of the Islamic Republic, at a time when the revolt is brewing after the death of Mahsa Amini, arrested at the end of 2022 for not having respected the strict religious dress code.
At the premiere of the film in Cannes, Mohammad Rasoulof had just fled Iran on foot, through the mountains, to reach Europe. The director, who has already spent time behind bars, had just been sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for “collusion against national security“, after having denounced the “corruption” et “incompetence“from the Iranian authorities. Actress Soheila Golestani, who plays Nameh, the mother in her film, is still in Iran and suffering”the strongest pressure”recalls Mohammad Rasoulof.
The film officially selected by Iran for the Oscars is In The Arms Of The Tree. State media describe it as a drama that shows “beauty“of the country and highlights”the authenticity of the Iranian family“. The filmmaker is currently working on an animated film about Abbas Nalbandian, a committed playwright who “had very important experiences around the Iranian revolution.” “It’s very hard to realize that this has already been going on for six months“, he blurted. “I miss Iran a lot.”
