VIDEO| Cannes Film Festival, Iranian director Rasoulof receives the Special Jury Prize

Sentenced to 8 years in prison by the Iranian regime on charges of plotting against national security, the director flew to Cannes to present 'The Seed of the Dry Fig'

ROME – Sentenced to 8 years in prison by the Iranian regime on charges of plotting against national security. At the 77th Cannes Film Festival, the Special Prize of the jury, chaired by Greta Gerwig, went to the Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof for the film ‘The seed of the sacred fig’ (‘The seed of the sacred fig’), filmed clandestinely. When he discovered that the film had been taken at the festival, he didn’t have much time to decide: either prison or leaving Iran, but in secret because the Islamic Republic confiscated his passport in 2017.

“Allow me to spare a thought for all the members of my team who are not with me to celebrate this award. My director of photography, many of the technicians, who are under pressure. My heart goes out above all to them”, said Mohammad Rasoulof with the award in his hands. “My people live every day under a regime that has taken them hostage“, continued the director, who wanted to “pay homage to all the young women whose boundless courage has made this film possible”.