The director of “A Separation” and “A hero” reacts to Golshifteh Farahani an Zar Amir Ebrahimi vehement criticisms in an interview for “Télérama”.
Translation of interview by Samuel Douhaire
Published on 17/11/22
In an exclusive interview with Télérama, iranian actress in exile, Zar Amir Ebrahimi speaks in these terms about the filmmaker Asghar Farhadi: “He probably has been threatened by the secret services but how can he be silent in the face of all people who risk their lives in the streets of Iran?”. Her colleague and friend Golshifteh Farahani has gone even further in her criticisms: “France should not idealize this man who for a long time abuses his power to intimidate people”. The director of “A Separation” currently at the international film festival of Marrakech, where he will be giving two masterclasses before heading to the United States to prepare his next film, has reacted to the accusations in this interview.
Zar Amir Ebrahimi mentions your silence in regard to the uprisings in Iran since the murder of the student Mahsa Amini last september. What is your response to her claims?
I find her declaration extremely surprising and entirely wrong. All you need to do is google my Instagram account to see that I put online a lot of news related to this uprising. Nearly two years to this day I published a very frontal text which no Iranian artist dared to write and which aimed at the regime titled “I hate you”.
Even prior Mahsa Amini’s death, I posted a text of protest on Instagram. Nine days later, while I was still in Iran I recorded a video in English inviting human rights activists and world intellectuals to take a stand in favor of the demonstrators. I then published a text in support of the demonstrators, which the jury of the Zurich film festival, for which I was the president, read out during the closure ceremony.
When I received the Werner-Herzog award in Munich, I dedicated my award to the Iranian people including those who came out into the streets to take upon their own destiny at the risk of their life.
Zar Amir Ebrahimi surely knew about all my stances regarding the regime. She also knows that all the medias loyal to the regime attacked me when she received her Cannes Award for best actress last may. An award to which I contributed as member of the jury.
In the West, you have the reputation of being one of the rare filmmakers not to criticize the Iranian regime as opposed to your colleagues Jafar Panahi or Mohammad Rasoulof, who since last July are in prison …
It's morally dishonest to say I am silent. The image of the majority of iranian directors is that they are subjugated to the regime. If that was true why do official government numbers mention the names of a hundred filmmakers forbidden to leave the country? It is our duty to express our support to Iranians who are struggling, even if our contribution is not comparable to what the youth have undertook by risking their lives. It is several years now that we have been protesting in public forums many of which was under my initiative and which I personally wrote the speeches.
Several years ago when the iranian government wanted to arrest Rasoulof and imprison him, I went and demonstrated along other filmmakers in front of the tribunal. As for Panahi he is my friend, our families were very close. In 2018 at a press conference of my movie “Everybody knows” at Cannes I declared that it was unacceptable that Panahi is in house arrest. It is incredible that despite all the facts two people come and change the truth claiming that I wasn’t on the side of the people. Their claims have no credit in Iran since everyone in Iran knows the truth.
As far as Golshifteh Farahani is concerned, she accuses you to have “stolen” your film student Azadeh Masihzadeh’s story in order to write your own script version for your latest film, “A hero” (2021) …
It’s several years now that Golshifteh Farahani says false things about me. Before speaking about « A hero » I would like to talk about her own attitude during the preparation of “About Elly” (2009). I then heard murmurs that she was cast in the Ridley Scott movie « A body of lies”. I had no problem with that but when I asked her to confirm her participation in my film, she reassured me that she had only read Ridley Scott’s script and hadn’t participated in the film. Several days later prior to the actual shooting, I was summoned by the minister of information not to hire Golshifteh otherwise they would confiscate the film.
Despite the risks, I filmed « About Elly » as planned, because Golshifteh was all excited about the role. My problem was never that I had a problem with her playing in an american film but that she didn’t tell me.
When «About Elly», after a first ban, was finally out and presented at the Berlin Film Festival, Golshifteh had a strange behavior. In front of the cameras she would take some distance from other cast members, but when journalists were absent she would join the cast. She also claimed in an interview that I had asked her to write a letter to the Supreme Leader of the islamic republic – it is absolutely disgusting to invent such stories! What interest did I have to ask for pardon from the regime given that the movie was already released?
A year after, while I was working on « A Separation”, the center of iranian cinema conferred me with an award. On stage, I made a firm speech to protest against the forced exile of several personalities including Golshifteh, and I denounced the fact that she could not come back. As a result the filming of “A separation” was immediately stopped by the authorities, and were it not for the protestation of my fellow colleagues, in particular Abbas Kiarostami who had written the powerful text, that I was able to reprise my work.
“A separation” could have not existed due to my support of Golshifteh, a support which I considered my duty. I have a difficulty to understand why she thinks I am close to the iranian regime. To disguise her criticisms in order to promote a political point is in my opinion immoral. At a time when nothing is more important than to be united, such dissension is regrettable.
Lets go back to the “affair” regarding your latest film “A hero”. Where is the situation in regard to the controversy surrounding your film?
Eight years ago, I animated a workshop during which a student made a documentary. This documentary like the fictional film is based on a true story which took place two years earlier and was mentioned widely in the media. With a story like this, once it is published it enters the public domain. Another author can very well write a play for the theater based on the same facts, as such nobody can accuse him of plagiarism. Additionally, during my workshop, I suggested to all my students a theme based on the “cult of the hero”, and I gave several students press clippings on the story.
The attacks by this student encouraged by her family and friends started on the very day when “The Hero” was screened at the Cannes Film Festival’s competition on July 2021. I first tried to solve the conflict amicably: I suggested to thank her in the credits but she demanded that all the movie’s revenues be shared with her and that in the opening credits be mentioned that my film was based on her documentary. My producer Alexandre Mallet-Guy, reassured me that there was no legal foundation to accept her demands.
At the beginning of this affair, a lawyer who knew nothing about intellectual property decided that the case should be brought to court. My student multiplied public declarations saying I was condemned, when in fact it was a simple referral to a court
specialized in solving such cases. The case is now in the hands of the court and this time fortunately real experts specialized in intellectual property will be able to decide the outcome. Contrary to what Golshifteh Farahani claims, I never “lied” or “threatened” this student: she finally accepted to sign a document proving that the idea of “A hero” belonged to me. I should add that all my collaborators are very surprised by these accusations because they know me well and know that I am not the type of person the actress’ claim I am.
Will you return to Iran?
My desire is to return, my family is there, and I love my country. Given that my name is now on the list of filmmakers forbidden to leave the country: The minute I would arrive to Tehran, my passport would be confiscated. It’s not the only restriction that is imposed on me: Before the demonstrations, I was put on the list of filmmakers forbidden to work. They never told me why …
My collaborators, upon investigation, were able to identify two informations: I was criticized to have presented “A hero” at the Jerusalem film festival [the Islamic Republic don’t recognize the existence of the Jewish state], and to have been a member of the Cannes jury which conferred the best female actress award to Zar Amir Ebrahimi. I am more concerned by the situation in Iran than of myself.
What do you think will be the outcome of this revolution in Iran?
Nothing can stop this anger which at the same time gives us a great hope. It is a large and profound movement. So, despite the violence, I am full of hope. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that thousands of people have been arrested following the demonstrations and some are threatened with death sentences. I call upon the readers to do all in their power to set free the prisoners and put an end to the death sentence of those condemned.
Link to original article in French here
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Well ... I guess this is the Iranian version of
Gunfight at the OK Corral
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqyiRwlLa80
One of my favourite Western movies, but as I recall, they did put their money where their mouth was.