Dissident Iranian auteur Mohammad Rasoulof in May escaped to Europe after receiving a jail and flogging sentence from the country’s authorities for making his latest film “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” that won the Special Jury prize at Cannes.
He is now traveling to Locarno to screen his powerful drama – about an investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran who grapples with mistrust and paranoia as anti-government protests intensify and his family life is devastated – on the Swiss fest’s 8,000-seat Piazza Grande.
Rasoulof took questions from Variety about adjusting to life in Europe and how he currently sees his country from the outside.
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You recently left Iran with a heavy heart. How have you adjusted to living in Europe (I believe in Germany)?
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For many years, my focus was on living in Iran. I wanted to tell stories in my films that were necessary to tell from the heart of Iran. Tolerating being banned from work, being banned from leaving the country, the interrogations, the difficult conditions of making films underground, and going to prison… all these pressures were part of a long journey. Prison provided an opportunity to reflect on all of this. After my release, I knew that I would soon receive a new sentence from the court and have to return to prison. However, before the verdict, in a bold decision, I started filming “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” Midway through filming the movie, the verdict was announced, and just a few days after we finished filming, I learned about the final decision – an eight-year prison sentence from the Court of Appeal. As a filmmaker, I had to choose between continuing to make my films or seeing myself as a victim and returning to prison. This decision gave me the strength to leave Iran. I knew it might be a long journey. Now, I feel like I am on a long business trip with unfinished tasks demanding my attention. Outside Iran, I have many good friends and great hopes that motivate me to put in more effort.
Can you describe the small editing tweaks I believe you have made to “The Seed of the Sacred Fig?” since it screened in Cannes?
There are no significant changes. Only compression and a few technical improvements were necessary.
Are you excited to screen the film on the Piazza Grande, which is Europe’s largest open-air venue?
After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, the movie was screened at the Sydney Film Festival, where it received the Audience Award for Best International Feature. I’m thrilled about the opportunity to watch the film in Piazza Grande. In 2002, I participated in the Locarno Festival with my debut film, and I had the chance to see a movie by Fellini on the Piazza Grande screen. I’ll never forget the joy of watching that film there. After 22 years, I’m going back. I’m really excited to see my film on that big screen with an audience of over 8,000. I hope it doesn’t rain on the night of the screening!
Are you pleased that the film has been sold around the world, including to Neon in the U.S.? Will you be traveling to the U.S. to promote it?
Film distributors in Europe, especially Films Boutique and Parallel 45, have a deep and precise understanding of this type of cinema. On the other hand, working with a distributor like Neon, a thoroughly professional team with a complete understanding of a film’s path ahead, is very exciting. It is a pleasure to work with them.
I plan to travel to the United States for film screenings. However, since I still don’t have a passport and have to travel with the documents provided with the help of the city of Hamburg, I wonder if I’ll be able to travel outside of Europe.
What’s your take on the recent election in Iran of reformist politician Masoud Pezeshkian? Do you think anything will change as a result?
At the core of its power, The Islamic Republic is vulnerable and unstable, lacking legitimacy and popularity among the majority of people. For decades, they have been ruling Iran through brutal repression, which relies on fomenting crises for its survival. However, these crises accumulate over time. Unforeseen events such as the Woman Life Freedom movement and the brave pursuit of women demanding their rights have disrupted the analyses of those in power. Following the collapse of Raisi’s government – which was the concrete embodiment of the ignorance and inefficiency of the Islamic system – they needed an option to find enough time to recuperate. Pezeshkian’s government is a tool to overcome these crises. They know the president of Iran doesn’t have a weighty role in determining domestic and international macro policies; if it did, other governments before the Pezeshkian government also wanted to change the path ahead of Iran.
Last time we spoke you said you did not think the Iranian regime is “in a condition or in a situation that will allow them to last long, and that the international community should stop being so mild with them and not allow them to go on holding their people hostage.” Do you continue to think that the current regime won’t last long? Also, do you think/hope your film will help put more pressure on Iran?
Above all, I hope for changes within Iranian society and to raise questions for those who, knowingly or unknowingly, serve the ruling power. Experience has shown me that my films ultimately reach their Iranian audience. On the other hand, my films reflect my commitment to portraying a realistic image of the era in which I live despite the extensive censorship and repression in Iran.
