Free screenings of films by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi

PRESS RELEASE April 8, 2010

Free screenings of films by imprisoned filmmaker Jafar Panahi in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague

In support of the international protests against the imprisonment of Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, EYE Film Institute Netherlands and art houses Lantaren/Venster and Filmhuis The Hague organize screenings on Thursday April 15, 2010 of Panahi’s films THE CIRCLE (in Amsterdam and The Hague) and OFFSIDE (in Rotterdam).

Jafar Panahi, internationally acclaimed filmmaker and one of the most influential filmmakers of the Iranian New Wave movement, has been arrested and imprisoned since March 1.

Following an initiative of international Facebook group ‘Free Jafar Panahi’, film screenings of works by Jafar Panahi will be organized worldwide between April 15 and 21. Screenings have already been confirmed in India, Brazil and Canada; screenings in Argentina, Italy, Spain, Latvia and the USA are announced.
In The Netherlands, Panahi’s THE CIRCLE will be screened April 15 from 17.00 hrs at the Filmhuis The Hague (see: www.filmhuisdenhaag.nl) and from 17.15 hrs at the EYE Film Institute Netherlands in Amsterdam (see: www.filmmuseum.nl); Panahi’s OFFSIDE will be screened April 15 from 21.00 hrs at film art house Lantaren/Venster in Rotterdam (see: www.lantaren-venster.nl). Entrance to the screenings is free; please reserve your tickets at the box offices.

Jafar Panahi (1960, Mianeh, Iran) made short films for TV after completing his film studies and then became assistant to Abbas Kiarostami, his mentor and source of inspiration. He rarely uses professional actors, his style moves between documentary and neo-realism. Typical of his work is his critical attitude towards class differences, the position of minorities and the position of women in Iran. His films are, thus, rarely screened in Iran.

He won the Caméra d'Or for best film début with THE WHITE BALLOON and he won the Golden Lion in Venice with THE CIRCLE (2000). OFFSIDE was awarded the Silver Bear and The Jury Grand Prix at the Berlinale in 2006. The International Film Festival Rotterdam screened all his films from THE WHITE BALLOON. In 2008, Panahi attended the festival in Rotterdam as member of the VPRO Tiger Awards Jury.

Many thanks to A-Film Distribution and EYE Film Institute Netherlands for their support.

(End of press release)

Note to the Editor, not for publication:

Press information:
IFFR Press Office, Bert-Jan Zoet, press@filmfestivalrotterdam.com, 010-8909090