Despite being banned from travel by Iranian authorities and facing a trial related to their new film, the directors hope their movie will compete for the Golden Bear.

Berlinale Appeals for Iranian 2024: Europe News

The trouble began when they found out about the travel ban at Tehran airport in September 2023. Iranian authorities confiscated their passports as they were about to catch a flight to Paris for the post-production work on “My Favourite Cake.”

As Berlinale Appeals for Iranian 2024, In December, Iranian security forces raided the film editor’s house, seizing materials related to the production. The film’s plot, revolving around a 70-year-old woman breaking her solitary routine for romance, seems to have irked the hard-line Islamist authorities.

The Berlin Film Festival’s decision to include this film in the competition is significant, considering the festival’s reputation for taking political stances and providing a platform for voices facing oppression.

As per the Berlinale Appeals for Iranian 2024, In a statement titled “Call for Freedom Of Movement, Freedom Of Expression for Competition Directors Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha,” the Berlinale expressed shock and dismay over the travel restrictions imposed on the filmmakers.

The festival urged Iranian authorities to return the passports and lift all restrictions, emphasizing its commitment to freedom of speech, expression, and the arts worldwide. Berlinale heads Carlo Chatrian and Mariëtte Rissenbeek called for the filmmakers to be allowed to present their film at the festival.

This isn’t the first time Moghaddam and Sanaeeha have faced challenges. Their previous film, “Ballad of a White Cow,” presented at the 2021 Berlinale, garnered critical acclaim but led to a lawsuit by the Revolutionary Guards. Although they were acquitted, the film remains banned in Iran.

The Berlin Film Festival, known for its political stance, is scheduled from February 15 to 25.

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