Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has called on filmmakers to speak out against US attacks on Iran, after threats of escalation in the conflict from US president Donald Trump.
US president Donald Trump has said that Iran must re-open the Strait of Hormuz to international sea traffic by 01.00 BST on Wednesday, April 8; and that if that does not happen, the US will significantly increase its attacks on the country, including on railways and infrastructure.
In his latest post on right-wing social media network Truth Social on Tuesday, April 7, Trump wrote that ‘a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again.’
“Attacking a country’s infrastructure is a war crime,” wrote Farhadi in his statement. “Regardless of any beliefs or attitudes, let’s unite to stop this inhumane, illegal, and destructive process.’
“I call on artists and filmmakers everywhere in the world to be a voice in these critical days and hours, in any way possible, to stop the destructive aggression that has increasingly destroyed civilian infrastructure.”
“Infrastructure that belongs to the Iranian people and is related to the basic needs of their daily lives. The destruction of infrastructure is not just the destruction of buildings, it is an attack on human life and dignity.”
On Monday, Iran rejected the US proposal for a 45-day ceasefire, stating that it wishes to end the war permanently.
Farhadi’s statement was provided to Iranian journalist Mansour Jahani.
Farhadi has been living outside of Iran since 2023. His new film Parallel Tales starring Isabelle Huppert, Virginie Efira, Vincent Cassel, Pierre Niney and Catherine Deneuve is tipped to debut at Cannes Film Festival next month, with the Official Selection announcement this Thursday, April 9.
The conflict between US-Israel and Iran has been running for five-and-a-half weeks, since February 28. Several film executives told Screen that it prevented their in-person attendance at Hong Kong’s Filmart last month; while executives from the Middle East and countries that require connecting flights there to reach Europe will be closely following developments that may affect their attendance at Cannes, from May 12-23.
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