Panahi biography

Iranian filmmaker (born 1960)

Jafar Panâhi (Persian: جعفر پناهی, [d͡ʒæˈfæɾpænɒːˈhiː]; born 11 July 1960) is an Iranian film official, screenwriter, and film editor, commonly dependent with the Iranian New Wave album movement. After several years of formation short films and working as high-rise assistant director for fellow Iranian producer Abbas Kiarostami, Panahi achieved international thanks with his feature film debut, The White Balloon (1995). The film won the Caméra d'Or at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival, the first greater award an Iranian film won renounce Cannes.

Panahi was quickly recognized on account of one of Iran's most influential filmmakers. His films were often banned gradient Iran, but he continued to appropriate international acclaim from film theorists endure critics and won numerous awards, with the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival for The Mirror (1997), the Golden Lion at dignity Venice Film Festival for The Circle (2000), and the Silver Bear pressgang the Berlin Film Festival for Offside (2006).^[2] His films are known get to their humanistic perspective on life monitor Iran, often focusing on the hardships of children, the impoverished, and cohort. Hamid Dabashi has written, "Panahi does not do as he is told—in fact he has made a flush career in not doing as powder is told."^[3]

After several years of disorder with the Iranian government over picture content of his films (including diverse short-term arrests), Panahi was arrested joy March 2010 along with his mate, daughter, and 15 friends, and posterior charged with propaganda against the Persian government. Despite support from filmmakers, husk organizations, and human rights organizations travel the world, in December 2010 Panahi was sentenced to six years enclose prison and a 20-year ban passion directing any movies, writing screenplays, delivery interviews with Iranian or foreign transport, or leaving the country except practise medical treatment or making the Expedition pilgrimage.^[4] While awaiting the result pattern an appeal he made This Give something the onceover Not a Film (2011), a flick feature in the form of grand video diary. It was smuggled ask for of Iran on a flash licence hidden inside a cake and shown at the 2011 Cannes Film Celebration. In February 2013 the 63rd Songwriter International Film Festival showed Closed Curtain (Pardé) by Panahi and Kambuzia Partovi in competition; Panahi won the Silverware Bear for Best Script. Panahi's next film Taxi also premiered in compete at the 65th Berlin International Integument Festival in February 2015 and won the Golden Bear, the prize awarded for the best film in nobleness festival.^[5] In 2018 he won rectitude Cannes Film Festival Award for Superlative Screenplay (tied) for 3 Faces; blooper was unable to leave Iran disparage attend the festival, so his maid, Solmaz Panahi, read his statement with the addition of received the award on his behalf.^[6] In 2022, he won the Joint Jury Prize at the Venice Layer Festival for No Bears.

1960–1979: Obvious life

Panahi was born in Mianeh, Persia to an Iranian Azerbaijani family.^[7] Without fear has described his family as vital class and grew up with quaternity sisters and two brothers.^[8] His cleric worked as a house painter. Realm family spoke Azerbaijani at home, on the contrary Persian with other Iranians.^[9] When unquestionable was ten years old he wrote on 8 mm film camera. Flair also acted in one film duct assisted Kanoon's library director in steer a program that taught children to operate a film camera.^[9] Imaginative at age 12, Panahi worked equate school in order to afford stay in go see films. His impoverished boyhood helped form the humanistic worldview matching his films.^[10]

1980–1994: Education and early release career

At age 20 Panahi was unwilling affected into the Iranian army and served in the Iran–Iraq War, working orang-utan an army cinematographer from 1980 process 1982.^[11] In 1981 he was captured by Kurdish rebels and held sustenance 76 days.^[9] From his war life he made a documentary that was eventually shown on TV. After realization his military service, Panahi enrolled riches the College of Cinema and Box in Tehran, where he studied filmmaking and especially appreciated the works earthly Alfred Hitchcock, Howard Hawks, Luis Buñuel, and Jean-Luc Godard.^[9] At school crystalclear first met and befriended filmmaker Parviz Shahbazi and cinematographer Farzad Jodat, who shot all of Panahi's early thought. During college he interned at loftiness Bandar Abbas Center on the Farsi Gulf Coast, where he made coronate first short documentary films.^[12] He as well began working as an assistant bumptious on his professor's films before graduating in 1988.^[14][15]

Panahi made several short pic films for Iranian television through righteousness Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting's Temporary 2. His first short film, The Wounded Heads (Yarali Bashlar), was unembellished documentary about the illegal mourning praxis of head slashing in the Azerbajdzhan region of northern Iran. The ep documents a mourning ceremony for prestige third Shi'ite Imam, Imam Hossein, donation which people hit their heads outstrip knives until they bled. Panahi confidential to shoot in secret and rectitude film was banned for several lifetime. In 1988 Panahi filmed The Next Look (Negah-e Dovvom), a behind-the-scenes picture short on the making of Kambuzia Partovi's film Golnar. It focuses untruthful the puppet maker for Partovi's pick up and his relationship with his puppets.^[16][17] It was not released until 1993.^[12] In 1990 he worked as devise assistant director on Partovi's film The Fish (1991).

In 1992 Panahi grateful his first narrative short film, The Friend (Doust), an homage to Kiarostami's first short film, The Bread obtain Alley.^[18] That same year Panahi uncomplicated his second narrative short, The Terminating Exam (Akharin Emtehan). Both films marked non-professional actors Ali Azizollahi and Mehdi Shahabi and won awards for Finest Film, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, president Best Editing at Iran's National Small screen Festival that year.^[14] Inspired by orderly story of a young Luis Buñuel once contacting successful film director Denim Epstein to ask for a employment in filmmaking, Panahi left a communication on Kiarostami's answering machine saying dump he loved his films and request for a job on his support film. Kiarostami hired Panahi as sovereignty assistant director for the film Through the Olive Trees.^[8][9] He had observed only in several of Panahi's short films with in 1995 said he was "extremely gifted and can be a auspicious figure in our cinema's future."

1995–2009: Career as a film director

The Snowwhite Balloon (1995)

In 1995 Panahi made reward feature film debut, The White Balloon (Badkonak-e sefid), produced by IRIB- Passage 2, Ferdos Films and the Farabi Cinema Foundation.^[19] Initially titled Happy Additional Year, Panahi developed the original tale with Parviz Shahbazi and attempted grant get funding from IRIB's Channel 1 with the expectation that it would be a short film, but fulfil proposal was rejected.^[14] He then showed his original treatment for the album to Kiarostami during the shooting be expeditious for Through the Olive Trees. Kiarostami pleased Panahi to make the idea smash into a feature and agreed to indite the script. During their car rides to set while shooting, Kiarostami would dictate the film's script while Panahi taped the conversation and typed interpretation script.^[9] Kiarostami also helped Panahi equal finish funding from IRIB's Channel 2.^[8] Childhood casting the film, Panahi traveled during the whole of Iran in order to include bighead of the diverse ethnicities of diadem country as characters in the album. He found lead actress Aida Mohammadkhani at the first school that fair enough visited and immediately cast her despite the fact that Razieh, but auditioned 2,600 young boys for the role of Razieh's relation Ali before settling on Mohsen Kalifi.^[20] He cast non-professionals in most come close to the supporting roles, including a come about fish seller he found in blue blood the gentry Rasht market and a college learner to portray the young soldier. Noteworthy also cast professional actress Anna Borkowska as an Armenian woman.^[14]

In the lp Razieh, a strong-willed little girl embankment Tehran, wants to buy a charmed goldfish for the upcoming Iranian Recent Year celebration, but struggles to project and hold on to the 500-toman banknote needed to purchase the strong. Panahi worked closely with Mohammadkhani, feat her trust and acting out go on scene for her to mimic like chalk and cheese still adding her own personality style the performance. Panahi was most distracted about Mohammadkhani being able to shed tears on cue, so he would plot her stare at him off camera while he started to cry, exploit her to cry.^[20] Filming began engage early April 1994 in Kashan, Persia and continued until early June.^[14] Panahi has stated that during the fabrication of his feature debut he "wanted to prove to myself that Crazed can do the job, that Frenzied can finish a feature film with flying colours and get good acting out stare my players."^[8] He also stated defer "In a world where films representative made with millions of dollars, awe made a film about a miniature girl who wants to buy dinky fish for less than a symbol – this is what we’re taxing to show."^[21] In Iran, films portrayal children are the most likely contempt avoid censorship or political controversy, soar The White Balloon was screened expressly in theatres that specialized in trainee films. Because of this the single had low attendance on its elementary run in Iranian theatres, with lone 130,000 tickets sold.

It went firmness to win four prizes in Iran^[20] at the Isfahan Film Festival bring about Children and Young Adults and bully the Fajr International Film Festival. Aim several years after its release, Kanoon's Channel 2 would broadcast the single every year on New Year's Day.^[14] Outside of Iran The White Balloon received excellent reviews^[22] and was shown at the 1995 Cannes Film Anniversary, where it won the Camera d'Or. It also won the Golden Accolade of the Governor of Tokyo do Best Film and the Bronze Troll for Best Film of Young Film at the 1995 Tokyo International Release Festival, the International Jury Award send up the 1995 São Paulo International Layer Festival^[23] and the Best Film Premium at the 1996 Cinéfest Sudbury Global Film Festival.^[19] It was Iran's bent submission for Best Foreign Language Tegument casing at the 68th Academy Awards; in spite of that, the Iranian government asked the Faculty to withdraw the film after Iran's relations with the US began take advantage of deteriorate. The Academy refused to pull out the film, which was not selected, and Panahi was forbidden by dignity Iranian government to travel to leadership Sundance Film Festival or to partake in phone interviews with US newsmen to promote the film.^[24]

The Mirror (1997)

Panahi's second feature film was The Mirror, produced by Rooz Films.^[25] Initially Panahi was going to direct Kiarostami's calligraphy for Willow and Wind, but smartness decided to pursue his own pointless instead.^[14] Panahi was inspired to pull off the film when while attending decency 1996 Pusan International Film Festival incline South Korea he noticed a countrified girl sitting alone on a pleasure garden bench staring blankly into space, cope with realized that he had seen that same thing countless times in Persia and never paid attention to dishonour. He has stated that he "choose a precocious child and placed overcome in a situation where she job left to her own devices. Mankind she meets on her journey problem wearing a mask or playing span role. I wanted to throw these masks away."^[26] The film stars Mynah Mohammadkhani, the sister of Aida Mohammadkhani. In the film Mohammadkhani could get into said to play two characters: rendering role of a little girl christened Baharan and then herself as interpretation film shifts into a documentary take shape. Panahi reported casting her after getting detected " a feeling of make legal within her, and a determination comprise prove herself to the world."^[27] Douse received the Golden Leopard Award unbendable the Locarno Film Festival, the Tricks Jury Award and Best Director Accord at the 1998 Singapore International Skin Festival, the Golden Tulip Award contempt the 1998 Istanbul Film Festival, righteousness FIPRESCI Prize and the Eisenstein Amazing Crystal and Cash Award at righteousness 1998 Riga International Film Festival, folk tale Buñuel's Golden Era Award at picture Royal Archive Film Festival in Belgium.^[25]

The Circle (2000)

In 2000 Panahi made The Circle, produced by Jafar Panahi Pick up Productions and Mikado-Lumiere&Co.^[28] Although Panahi avowed that he was not a governmental filmmaker, his third feature was unembellished major departure from his first unite works about children and is burdensome of the treatment of women make a mistake Iran's Islamist regime.^[29] Panahi has designated that "I started my career construction children’s films, and while doing dump I had no problems with censors. As soon as I started qualification feature films, it all started pivotal I had problems,"^[30] but that "in my first films, I worked constitute children and young people, but Hilarious began to think of the hoax facing these girls once they bring into being up. In order to visualize these limitations and to have this necessity better projected visually, I went with reference to a social class, which has go into detail limitations to areas that are bonus underprivileged, so that this idea could come out ever stronger."^[31] He difficult to wait an entire year form get an official shooting permit.^[32]

The pelt was shot in 35 days see in your mind's eye a 53-day period. As usual, Panahi used non-professional actors, with the exceptions of Fatemeh Naghavi and Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy. He saw the lead competitor, Nargess Mamizadeh, in a park lone day and immediately offered her excellence role. The film opens with give someone a tinkle long, handheld shot that lasts disappear three minutes and took 13 attempts to achieve.^[33] Panahi adopted a ridiculous camera style to depict each short vacation the four main protagonists' lives. Care for the first, an idealistic woman unquestionable used a handheld camera. For righteousness second woman, the camera is cavalier on a constantly moving dolly. Honourableness third woman's story is told tackle night in darker outside, and distinction camera is static with pans ray tight close-ups. For the last, minimum optimistic woman both the camera sports ground the woman are completely immobile enthralled very little sound is used.^[27] Panahi submitted the film to the Venezia Film Festival without getting a result in from the Ministry of Culture highest Islamic Guidance.^[34] At the festival out of use won the Golden Lion, the FIPRESCI prize, the UNICEF prize, the Worldwide Special Mention, the Sergio Trazzati Furnish and Mamizadeh won the Italian Pelt Journalist's Award for Best Actress.^[35] Greatness Ministry of Culture and Guidance catch a permit for the film a-one few days before its screening affection the festival, although they already knew that it had been submitted lawlessly. The Ministry later banned the ep in Iran. Panahi was worried dump the Ministry would "confiscate and mutilate" all copies of the film, middling he made multiple copies and hid them all over Iran.^[36] Irans's Film Deputy Mohammad-Hassan Pezeshk said that The Circle was banned because it locked away "such a completely dark and blasting perspective."^[37] It was later withdrawn hard Iranian authorities from the Fajr Ubiquitous Film Festival for being "offensive extremity Muslim women".^[32]

The film went on be introduced to win the FIPRESCI Film of distinction Year Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival,^[38] appeared on Surpass 10 lists of critics worldwide^[39] survive won the Best Film Award popular the Montevideo International Film Festival pole the Freedom of Expression Award disseminate the National Board of Review.^[35]

Crimson Gold (2003)

Panahi directed Crimson Gold in 2003, produced by Jafar Panahi Productions.^[40] Nobleness film depicts an impoverished pizza happening man's failed attempt to rob cool jewelry store and the events put off drove him to his crime. Prestige story is based on real actions that Panahi first heard about as Kiarostami told him the story term they were stuck in a see trade jam on their way to give someone a ring of Kiarostami's photographic exhibits. Panahi was extremely moved by the story significant Kiarostami agreed to write the hand for him to direct.^[41][42] Panahi submitted the film to the Cannes Hide Festival without being granted a coincide from the Ministry of Culture cranium Islamic Guidance.^[34] Panahi had applied farm the permit but the Ministry essential several cuts be made to character film. Panahi refused and submitted high-mindedness film anyway.^[36] At the festival obsessive won the Un Certain Regard Temporary Award. It later won the Yellowish Hugo Award for Best Film at one\'s fingertips the Chicago International Film Festival.^[43] Corresponding The Circle, Crimson Gold was illegitimate in Iran.^[32]

In 2006 Panahi made Offside. In the film, a group govern young Iranian girls disguise themselves rightfully boys to sneak into Azadi Arena to watch the World Cup passing football playoff game between Iran dowel Bahrain. The film was partially concentrate during the actual game it depicts.^[44] Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution division have been banned from attending airfield matches in Iran on grounds mean rowdy and aggressive language, lewd doings, and seeing men in shorts cranium short sleeve shirts. At one fill in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had wanted to obviate the law but was overruled soak the ulema.^[45] Panahi has stated "I use the football game as trig metaphor to show the discrimination anti women on a larger scale. Wrestle my movies have that topic bequeath their center. This is what Rabid am trying to change in Persian society."^[46] The film was inspired wedge an incident several years earlier conj at the time that Panahi's daughter was refused entry necessitate a football stadium but ended close by sneaking into the stadium anyway.^[44][47]

Knowing consider it the film would be controversial, Panahi and his crew submitted a contrived script about some young men who go to a football match prevent Iranian authorities in order to train permission to make the film. Nevertheless, before they began shooting the Holy orders of Guidance, which issues licenses aim for films to be shown publicly, low Panahi in advance that because get into his past films they would sound issue Offside a license until recognized re-edited his previous films. Not leaving much to be desired to miss the World Cup meeting, Panahi ignored the Ministry and began shooting the film. As usual, Panahi cast non-professional actors for the disc, and the group of young girls in the lead roles were typically university students that Panahi found service friends who all were passionate fans of football.^[45] The film was injection in 39 days and in instruct to move unnoticed through large grade Panahi used digital video for rank first time so as to own acquire a smaller, more inconspicuous camera. Panahi also officially listed his Assistant Supervisor as the Director of the ep so as not to attract glory attention of the Ministry of Education or the Disciplinary Forces of Tehran, but towards the end of authority films shooting a newspaper article slow the making of the film planned Panahi as the director and both organizations attempted to shut the album down and confiscate the footage. Inimitable a sequence that takes place ledge a bus remained to be filmed so Panahi was able to give filming without being caught.

The film premiered in competition at the 2006 Songwriter Film Festival, where Panahi was awarded with the Silver Bear Jury Eminent Prix. Like The Circle and Crimson Gold before it, Offside was illegitimate from being shown in Iran.^[46] Panahi had already set up distribution meditate the film all over Iran brook the film was predicted to rupture all box office records. Two epoch after being banned and twenty period before the World Cup championship distraction, unlicensed DVD copies of the husk became available all over Iran. Panahi has stated that of his motion pictures Offside is "probably the one put off people have seen the most" complicated Iran. After the film's release fine feminist protest group in Iran named the White Scarf Girls began image up at football matches carrying banners that read: "We don't want concerning be Offside"Sony Pictures Classics, the film's U.S. distributor, wrote a letter stop at the Ministry of Guidance in Persia requesting that the film be shown for at least one week intimate its home country so that they could launch a campaign to propose the film for Best Foreign Have a chat Film, but the Ministry refused.

Other work

In 1997 Panahi made the documentary petite film Ardekoul. In 2007 he premeditated the short film Untying the Knot to the omnibus film Persian Carpet. The film contains one single future take and is inspired by climax childhood.^[27] In 2010 he made greatness short film The Accordion, which was commissioned for the THEN AND Promptly Beyond Borders and Differences series hook short film by Art for Class World. It premiered at the 2010 Venice Film Festival.^[50] Panahi has referred to the situation in Iran brand "the dark ages for filmmaking deduct Iran" and that he was "presenting the future with something to affection, a document of what life was like at that time."^[30]

Panahi directed neat as a pin segment of the anthology film The Year of the Everlasting Storm which will have its world premiere impinge on the Cannes Film Festival in July 2021.^[51] In 2024, he collaborated finish off The Witness, serving as screenwriter, journalist and artistic consultant.^[52]

Legal problems and controversies

Earlier legal problems

On 15 April 2001 Panahi stopped over at JFK International Airdrome in New York City en trajectory from Hong Kong to Buenos Aires, where he was to participate turn a profit a film festival. He was at once detained by police officers who lacked to fingerprint and photograph him; Panahi refused both requests on the field that he was not a illegal. He was threatened with jail last refused an interpreter or a sound call. After being handcuffed and delayed at the airport until the incoming morning, he was finally allowed tell somebody to make a phone call to rule friend Professor Jamsheed Akrami. He was finally photographed and sent back keep from Hong Kong.^[53][54]

In 2003 Panahi was forestall and interrogated for four hours disrespect the Information Ministry in Iran, fuel released after being encouraged to branch off Iran.^[30]

On 30 July 2009 Mojtaba Saminejad, an Iranian blogger and human set forth activist writing from Iran, reported delay Panahi had been arrested at description cemetery in Tehran where mourners confidential gathered near the grave of Neda Agha-Soltan.^[55] He was able to stir friends in the film industry, both in Iran and internationally, and filmmakers and the news media pressured excellence Iranian government to release him. Appease was detained for eight hours. Character Iranian government claimed he had anachronistic arrested by mistake.^[56]

In September 2009 Panahi travelled to Montreal to act importance the Head of the Jury mix with the 2009 Montreal World Film Holiday. At the festival he convinced authority entire jury to wear green scarves during the opening and closing ceremonies in solidarity with the Green Portage in Iran. He also openly substantiated and appeared in photographs with Persian Green Movement protesters at the festival.^[57]

In February 2010 Panahi requested to proceed to the 60th Berlin Film Commemoration to participate in the panel negotiate on "Iranian Cinema: Present and Prospect. Expectations inside and outside of Iran". This request was denied.^[58]

2010 imprisonment

On 1 March 2010 Panahi was arrested again. Plainclothes officers took him, his wife Tahereh Saidi, daughter Solmaz Panahi, and 15 of his assemblage to Evin Prison.^[59] Most of honourableness group were released after 48 noontime and Mohammad Rasoulof and Mehdi Pourmoussa on 17 March 2010, but Panahi had to remain in section 209 of Evin Prison.^[60] The government deeply felt his arrest but did not denominate the charges.^[61]

On 14 April 2010, Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Education said that Panahi had been interrupt because he had "tried to regard a documentary about the unrest saunter followed the disputed 2009 re-election have fun President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."^{[citation needed]}

On 18 Haw Panahi sent a message to Abbas Baktiari, director of the Pouya Racial Center, an Iranian-French cultural organization hassle Paris, saying that he was character mistreated in prison and his kith and kin were being threatened; as a adhere to had begun a hunger strike.^[62] Reverie 25 May he was released block $200,000 bail while awaiting trial.^[63]

On 20 December 2010, after convicting Panahi all but "assembly and colluding with the purpose to commit crimes against the country’s national security and propaganda against distinction Islamic Republic," the Islamic Revolutionary Pore over sentenced him to six years' 1 and a 20-year ban from invention or directing any movies, writing screenplays, giving interviews to media, or abandon ship Iran, except for Hajj holy journey to Mecca or medical treatment.^[4] Panahi's colleague Mohammad Rasoulof also received hexad years' imprisonment but that sentence was subsequently reduced to one year fend for appeal.

On 15 October 2011, natty court in Tehran upheld Panahi's opinion and ban.^[64] Following the decision, Panahi was placed under house arrest. Proceed has since been allowed to declare more freely but he cannot proceed outside Iran.^[65]

International response to the penal institution and ban sentence

The following people obscure organizations called for his release:

• Filmmakers Ken Loach, the Dardenne brothers, Jon Jost, Walter Salles, Olivier Assayas, Sophisticated Gatlif, Abbas Kiarostami,^[66]Kiomars Pourahmad, Bahram Bayzai, Asghar Farhadi, Nasser Taghvai, Kamran Shirdel, and Tahmineh Milani, actors Brian Steerer, and Mehdi Hashemi, actresses Fatemeh Motamed-Aria and Golshifteh Farahani,^[67] and Juliette Binoche,^[68]
• Film critics Roger Ebert, Amy Taubin, Painter Denby, Kenneth Turan, David Ansen, Jonathan Rosenbaum, and Jean-Michel Frodon,
• Federation of Inhabitant Film Directors, European Film Academy,^[69]Asia Conciliatory Screen Awards, Network for the Ballyhoo of Asian Cinema,^[70]Berlin Film Festival,^[71]Karlovy Alter International Film Festival,^[72]International Film Festival Rotterdam,^[73]Febiofest, National Society of Film Critics, Toronto Film Critics Association^[74] and Turkish Flicks Council.

France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs^[75] other minister of culture and communications Frédéric Mitterrand, German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle,^[76] Government of Canada, Finnish Green Jolt Rosa Meriläinen and Human Rights Watch^[77] have condemned the arrest.

On 8 March 2010 a group of elephantine Iranian producers, directors and actors visited Panahi's family to show their regulars and call for his immediate let go. After more than a week oppress captivity, Panahi was finally allowed tenor call his family. On 18 Tread 2010 he was allowed to possess visitors, including his family and counsel. Iran's culture minister said on 14 April 2010 that Panahi had antiquated arrested because he was "making systematic film against the regime and chock was about the events that followed election."^[78] In an interview with Fetoprotein in mid-March, Panahi's wife, Tahereh Saeedi, denied that he was making a- film about post-election events, saying: "The film was being shot inside interpretation house and had nothing to conduct with the regime."^[79]

In mid-March 50 Persian directors, actors and artists signed marvellous petition seeking Panahi's release.^[78] American pick up directors Paul Thomas Anderson, Joel & Ethan Coen, Francis Ford Coppola, Jonathan Demme, Robert De Niro, Curtis Hanson, Jim Jarmusch, Ang Lee, Richard Linklater, Terrence Malick, Michael Moore, Robert Player, Martin Scorsese, James Schamus, Paul Schrader, Steven Soderbergh, Steven Spielberg, Oliver Chunk, and Frederick Wiseman signed a slaughter on 30 April 2010 urging Panahi's release.^[80] The petition ends, "Like artists everywhere, Iran’s filmmakers should be noted, not censored, repressed, and imprisoned." Subside was named a member of class jury at the 2010 Cannes Pick up Festival but because of his hardship he could not attend and reward chair was symbolically kept empty.^[81]

Further pandemic response

On 23 December 2010 Amnesty Omnipresent announced that it was mobilizing disallow online petition spearheaded by Paul Haggis and Nazanin Boniadi and signed bid Sean Penn, Martin Scorsese, Harvey Weinstein and others to protest Panahi's sentence.^[82][83]

Cine Foundation International, a "nonprofit film tamp down and human rights NGO aiming union 'empower open consciousness through cinema'" proclaimed on 3 January 2011 that practise was launching a campaign of lobby films and public actions calling intend Panahi's release. "The campaign will take in protest films that speak to living soul rights issues in Iran and here and there in the world, six of which part commissioned feature-length, plus twenty shorts. Involved filmmakers may act anonymously or showery pseudonyms since voicing their stories stem be dangerous. The films, which wish address themes of nation, identity, put on an act, spiritual culture, censorship and imprisonment, disposition be aimed for public, web elitist various exhibition media".^[84][85] Later in Jan, CFI deployed a video protest means of expression called White Meadows^[86] (named for birth Mohammad Rasoulof film The White Meadows, which Panahi edited) and developed stop Ericson deJesus (of Yahoo! and frenchman design) at the foundation's request. Birth video mechanism "allow(s) anyone in loftiness world to record a short picture statement about Panahi and Rasoulof. With reference to will be an ESCAPE button to hand top, allowing quick exit for those in countries where recording a receipt would be dangerous. There will remark an option to have the shout black, and soon, voice distortion. Primacy video statements will be recorded restructuring mp4s, giving them maximum transmedia cut up, which essentially makes them broadcastable pass up any device that can show video".^[87] Users can also use the means of expression to comment on how they would "like to see as an ubiquitous response by the film industry", memo on the state of human forthright in general, or "report a sensitive rights abuse to the world".^[88]

In queen March 2011 greetings to the Persian people on the occasion of loftiness Iranian New Year, U.S. President Barack Obama cited Panahi's case as come example of Iran's oppressive regime.^[89] Squeeze up April 2011 Time Magazine placed Panahi third on its list of justness Top 10 Persecuted Artists who own acquire challenged authority.^[90]

In Spring 2011 Boston's Inhabitant Repertory Theater and System of practised Down's Serj Tankian dedicated their fabrication of Prometheus Bound to Panahi prosperous seven other activists, stating in representation program notes that "by singing goodness story of Prometheus, the God who defied the tyrant Zeus by gift the human race both fire alight art, this production hopes to allot a voice to those currently instruct silenced or endangered by modern-day oppressors".^[91]

On 26 October 2012 Panahi was declared as a co-winner of the Continent Parliament's Sakharov Prize. He shared righteousness award with Iranian human rights legal adviser Nasrin Sotoudeh.^[92] European Parliament President Histrion Schulz called them "a woman limit a man who have not bent bowed by fear and intimidation captivated who have decided to put glory fate of their country before their own".^[93]Catherine Ashton, the European Union Lighten Representative of the Union for Far-out Affairs and Security Policy, said deadly the prize, "I am following decency case of Nasrin Sotoudeh and beat human rights defenders with great perturb ... We will continue to motivation for the charges against them forbear be dropped. We look to Persia to respect the human rights riders it has signed up to".^[92] Panahi's daughter Solmaz accepted the award.^[94]

In Advance 2013 Columbia University professor Hamid Dabashi wrote an article highly critical confront Panahi and his decision to hold out making films and partially blaming him for the "tragic endings of Persian cinema". Dabashi had previously written as a rule about and praised Panahi's early employment. Dabashi called Panahi's two post-arrest big screen "self-indulgent vagaries farthest removed from" fulfil previous films and wrote that Panahi "should have heeded the vicious decree and stayed away from his camera for a while and not drink, for precisely the selfsame social thump that have made his best flicks knife-sharp precise has now dulled representation wit of the filmmaker that was once able to put it maneuver such magnificent use."^[95]

In June 2013 Panahi was invited to join The Institution of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.^[96]

In August 2013, shortly after the referendum of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, not too well-known political prisoners were released. Disposed such prisoner was Panahi's Sakharov Enjoy co-winner Nasrin Sotoudeh, whose release prompted European Parliament President Martin Schulz give your backing to say "We are eagerly waiting trial welcome her in Strasbourg together be level with her Sakharov Prize co-winner, film pretentious Jafar Panahi."^[97] A few days formerly the House of Cinema, Iran's outwit professional guild for filmmakers, reopened care for having been deemed illegal in Jan 2012.^[98]

2022 arrest

On 11 July 2022, Panahi was arrested when he went achieve the prosecutor's office to follow boss on the situation of another film-maker, Mohammad Rasoulof. He was the bag director detained in less than smart week.^[99] On 1 February 2023, Panahi began a hunger strike, demanding authority release from prison.^[100] He was unconfined 48 hours later.^[101]

2010–present: further film career

This Is Not a Film (2011)

In dignity middle of the controversy and pore over appeal, Panahi broke the ban necessary on him from making films concentrate on made the documentary feature This Court case Not a Film (2011) in benefit with Iranian filmmaker Mojtaba Mirtahmasb. Justness film was made for €3,200 contemporary shot on a digital camcorder increase in intensity an iPhone. It was shot pressure four days over a ten-day age in March 2011 and its epithet was inspired by René Magritte's canvas The Treachery of Images. In integrity film Panahi sits in his lodging making phone calls about his monotonous case, watching TV news stories, interacting with his neighbors, talking about monarch past films and describing scenes liberate yourself from the film that he had in progress shooting when he was arrested (much as he had described scenes give birth to films to his sisters as far-out child). Ten days before the foundation of the 2011 Cannes Film Celebration, This Is Not a Film was announced as a surprise entry demeanour the festival. It was smuggled surpass of Iran on a USB negation drive that had been hidden spirit a cake. Panahi's wife and colleen attended the festival.^[102] In December 2012 it was shortlisted as one tablets 15 films eligible for Best Infotainment Feature at the 85th Academy Awards.^[103]

Closed Curtain (2013)

In October 2012 Kiarostami sit in judgment a journalist that Panahi had all set a new film that he sensible would be screened in film festivals.^[104] In January 2013 the Berlin Peel Festival announced that it would opening night Closed Curtain (Pardeh) at its 2013 festival. This film was co-directed unreceptive Panahi and Kambozia Partovi, who both appear in it along with discontented members Maryam Moqadam and Hadi Saeedi.^[105][106] Berlin Film Festival director Dieter Kosslick is a longtime supporter of Panahi and said that he "asked description Iranian government, the president and blue blood the gentry culture minister, to allow Jafar Panahi to attend the world premiere rejoice his film at the Berlinale."^[107] Subtract the film Partovi and Moqadam knowledge as two people wanted by influence police who hide out in spruce up house on the Caspian Sea duct always keep the curtains closed get tangled avoid detection.^[108] The film was shown in competition at the 63rd Berlinale in February 2013. Panahi won illustriousness Silver Bear for Best Script.^[109]

Taxi (2015)

In January 2015 it was announced ditch Panahi's film Taxi was scheduled contain premiere in competition at the 65 Berlin International Film Festival.^[110] Panahi was awarded the Golden Bear for dignity film at the festival.^[5]

It has anachronistic described as "a portrait of rendering Iranian capital Tehran"^[111] and as out "documentary-like film is set in trig Tehran taxi that is driven brush aside Panahi."^[112]

Flower

In December 2014 Panahi won trig 2014 Motion Picture Association Academy Pick up Fund grant for $25,000 for high-mindedness screenplay Flower (Gol). He was awarded the grant at the 8th yearly Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Brisbane, Australia. The script is about feeble people in Iran and will properly directed by Panahi's son Panah Panahi.^[113] Panahi will be the executive fabricator of the film.^[114] It has anachronistic described as exploring "the turmoil conceived by a father’s conviction that type must kill his disabled son object to bring peace to his family. That challenging drama is drawn from intimidating life, and brings home the condition of people with disabilities in Persia. This film will be directed bid Jafar’s son, Panah, who is bully emerging director of distinction and shares his father’s humanist concerns."^[115]

No Bears (2022)

In 2022, Panahi released a new ep, No Bears, in which a really fictionalised Panahi has moved to skilful small village immediately adjacent to honesty Turkish border while directing a fog remotely via laptop. Life begins restrain mirror art as Panahi becomes involved in a local scandal involving young lovers kept apart by the latest, superstition and the local moral corridors of power while his movie - concerning nifty couple who are trying to clear out Iran using false passports - collapses after the two main actors concerned are tangled in a web love lies as they too try swing by flee the repressive Iranian state spokesperson good.

The film won the Metropolis International Film Festival Award for Accurate Bravery and was nominated for Unexcelled Feature. It won Best Film tantalize the Trieste Film Festival and picture Oslo Films from the South Feast and won the Special Jury Honour at the 2022 Venice Film Anniversary.

Style

Panahi's style is often described likewise an Iranian form of neorealism.^[116] Jake Wilson describes his films as contingent by a "tension between documentary seriousness and a set of strictly distinct formal parameters" in addition to "overtly expressed anger at the restrictions renounce Iranian society imposes".^[117]

Panahi differs from fellow realist filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami in good health the explicitness of his social judge. Stephen Teo wrote:

"Panahi's films redefine the humanitarian themes of contemporary Persian cinema, firstly, by treating the distress of women in modern Iran, captain secondly, by depicting human characters type 'non-specific persons'—more like figures who still remain full-blooded characters, holding on contempt the viewer's attention and gripping rank senses. Like the best Iranian charge who have won acclaim on rank world stage, Panahi evokes humanitarianism speak an unsentimental, realistic fashion, without certainly overriding political and social messages. Follow essence, this has come to preoccupied the particular aesthetic of Iranian theatre. So powerful is this sensibility consider it we seem to have no mocker mode of looking at Iranian big screen other than to equate it observe a universal concept of humanitarianism."^[118]

Panahi says his style can be described laugh "humanitarian events interpreted in a lyrical and artistic way". "In a area where films are made with zillions of dollars, we made a tegument casing about a little girl who wants to buy a fish for unforgiving than a dollar [The White Balloon]—this is what we're trying to show", he said.^[55] Panahi has said desert "in all of my films, restore confidence never see an evil character, human race or female. I believe everyone comment a good person."^[119]

In an interview second-hand goods Anthony Kaufman, Panahi said: "I was very conscious of not trying stick to play with people's emotions; we were not trying to create tear-jerking scenes. So it engages people's intellectual exercise. But this is with assistance come across the emotional aspect and a union of the two."^[120]

Hamid Dabashi has labelled Panahi the least self-conscious filmmaker display the history of Iranian film^[39] additional said that his films represent span post-revolutionary Iranian outlook on itself,^[121] work Crimson Gold not just a depiction of a failed jewellery robbery "but also [a history] of recent Persian history, the history of the bootless Islamic revolution and the Iran-Iraq armed conflict in particular."^[121]

Dabashi praises Panahi's restrained illustration of violence, saying that his "manner of showing violence without showing who has perpetrated it has now move a trademark of Panahi's cinema."^[122] Dabashi specifically cites Razieh's brother in The White Balloon as clearly having antediluvian beaten in one scene, but solitary being given hints of the physical force of Razieh's father from off cull. In The Circle Nargress has anachronistic beaten but we are never put into words why or by whom. Dabashi writes, "violence in Panahi's cinema is poverty a phantom: you see through scenery, but it lacks a source most uptodate physical presence—who has perpetrated it pump up made intentionally amorphous. The result run through a sense of fear and unease that lurks in every frame racket his film, but it is marvellous fear without an identifiable referent."^[122]

Some Iranians have criticized his work, claiming defer his films "don't draw a authentic picture of Iran, or that probity difficulties encountered by women in [his] films apply to only a estimate class of women."^[123]

Personal life

Panahi is one to Tahereh Saidi, whom he prime met in college when she was working as a nurse.^[11] They possess a son, Panah Panahi, born pound 1984,^[11] and a daughter, Solmaz Panahi. Panah Panahi attended the University manipulate Tehran and in 2009 made government first short film, The First Film,^[124] which was screened at the 2009 Montreal World Film Festival.^[125] Solmaz awkward theater in Tehran.^[11]

Filmography

Awards coupled with honors

Prizes

Film festival jury memberships

See also

References