The banned film of Jafar Panahi

Sentenced to house arrest and banned from making films, the Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi demands, once again, to circumvent his conviction. Just before he confirmed his sentence, Panahi was able to send clandestinely to France the movie "This is not a movie", done in partnership with Mojtaba Mirtahmasb.

Now, at the Berlin Film Festival, in partnership with Kamboiya Partovi, Jafar Panahi shows, in 106 minutes, curtains closed, included in the competition, a film allegory about his inability to connect with the outside world. The German government has asked the Iranian government to allow the filmmaker to attend the premiere release of the film in Berlin. But there was no response.

So, who presented and explained the film was Partovi, accompanied by Iranian actress Maryam Moghadan. Jafar Panahi is known in Brazil, invited several times by the former director of the Exhibition of São Paulo, Leon Cakoff. Anyone following the Locarno Film Festival, where it was released Abbas Kiarostami and Panahi himself knows that Iranian filmmakers, even when winning awards, are not welcome to return.

The showing of the movie with Panahi Partovi? A car arrives at the house of Jafar Panahi, a man pulling a suitcase on wheels. He comes in, opens the bag... In other words, nothing is hermetically sealed. Censorship and control of ideas cannot prevent them from moving.

Partovi has no idea what will be the reaction of the Iranian government, before the film screened in Berlin, but shows that the circle of people who relate with Panahi or who participate in their projects ('to avoid depression it needs to have some activity Partovi says) became quite restricted.

 Rui Martins