Iranian authorities have completely blocked the internet amid massive protests across the country. Since then, very little information or images about the demonstrations have been released from Iran.
Directors made films about Iran that were critical of the regime
Panahi won the Palme d’Or at Cannes last year for his film “A Simple Accident,” which is about the lives of former political prisoners in Iran who accidentally meet their alleged torturer. Panahi’s own experiences in prison were the starting point for the film, which was secretly shot in Iran.
Rasoulof was nominated for an Oscar for best international film last year with his film “The Seeds of the Sacred Fig Tree”. The film takes place against the backdrop of the mass protests that were triggered by the death of the young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini after police custody in Iran in September 2022. It was filmed secretly in Iran in Rasoulof’s absence. He and three actresses in the film fled Iran for Germany.
This message was sent on January 10, 2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program.
