47th International Film Festival Rotterdam

24 January - 4 February 2018

Rotterdam, 25 januari 2018

During the 2011 edition International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) launched an action to protest against the decision of Iranian authorities sentencing filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Jafar Panahi with six years imprisonment and a twenty years ban on filmmaking activities. Later Mohammad Rasoulof's sentence was decreased on appeal to one year. 

Now, seven years later, Mohammad Rasoulof is again facing imprisonment while his passport has been confiscated by the Iranian authorities. Yet all he did was giving us one of the most humane and extraordinary films of the year 'A Man of Integrity', which was supported by our Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) and won Un Certain Regard Award last year in Cannes. 

A Man of Integrity

As a festival and through HBF, IFFR has a long standing relationship with Mohammad Rasoulof. It is not an option for IFFR - where we celebrate cinema and creative freedom - to be quiet on the injustice imposed on Mohammad Rasoulof. We cannot stand by and watch attempts to silence one of the most remarkable voices in cinema today. We have to voice our opinion about this injustice very loudly.    

So we are calling on the Iranian authorities to review their decision and to lift the restrictions imposed on Mohammad Rasoulof so he can enjoy the freedom to travel and to work. 

Please join us in support of Mohammad Rasoulof and sign this online petition.