Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof sentenced to prison

[FWN Adm]

Filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof from Iran was sentenced to 8 years in prison and his properties confiscated by the government for creating and showing the film THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG that deals with an investigative judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. In the film the judge, named Iman, grapples with mistrust as nationwide political protests intensified.

Mohammad Rasoulof in the past has repeatedly violated Iranian censorship rules and regulations with his film and was already given a three year sentence as well as banned from leaving the country or working with others from outside Iran. This time the government of Iran asked Rasoulof to pull his film from the competition at Cannes but he refused.

 His film THERE IS NO EVIL has won the top award at the 70th Berlin Film Festival where he received the award despite his absence from the event.

[FWN Adm]

Filmmaker Mohammed Rasoulof has fled Iran and current living at an undisclosed location in Europe to avoid the "unjust system" - in his words - that imposed the prison sentenced on him for showing his film. Rasoulof already had warnings issued by the government for his earlier films and this time along with his 8 year sentence the government also ordered the confiscation of his properties.

Films Boutique is handling the worldwide sales rights to his new film THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG, with PyramideFilms set to distribute in France this fall and Neon purchased the rights for the North American distribution.