Skip to main content

How Iran may have just won a second Oscar

Iranian film director Asghar Farhadi’s boycott of the upcoming Academy Awards may conversely help him fetch a second Oscar.
Director Asghar Farhadi, Best screenplay award winner for his film "Forushande" (The Salesman), reacts on stage during the closing ceremony of the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 22, 2016.            REUTERS/Yves Herman  TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY   - RTSFF3F

In a statement Jan. 29, Oscar-winning Iranian film director Asghar Farhadi announced that he will not be attending the Academy Awards ceremony later this month. The reason: US President Donald Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order to ban citizens of Iran and six other Muslim-majority countries. Farhadi’s announcement came as Iran was hosting its own Oscars, the 35th Fajr International Film Festival.

This year, the films screened at the Fajr Film Festival were greatly overshadowed by talk of Trump’s travel ban, Farhadi’s subsequent statement and speculation about what will become of “The Salesman,” which is nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.