Hollywood calls for release of Iranian film-makers
Including Panahi, Vafamehr and "BBC" film-makers
BBC: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has led Hollywood industry organisations in calling for the release of jailed Iranian film-makers. Six independent documentary makers whose films have appeared on BBC Persian TV were arrested in September. Actress Marzieh Vafamehr has been imprisoned and sentenced to 60 lashes for being in a film critical of Iran. The groups have also condemned the continued house arrest of Jafar Panahi for making a film about Iranian unrest. Hadi Afarideh, Shahnam Bazdar, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, Naser Saffarian, Katayoun Shahabi and Mohsen Shahrnazdar were arrested last month for providing the BBC with material deemed damaging to Iran. Saffarian and Shahrnazdar have since been released. In a statement, the Academy said that, before the release of these two, all six had been denied access to their lawyers and families "who were forced to remain silent" >>>
from BBC
20-Oct-2011
I wish the Academy would be more vocal and keep this up.
by Esfand Aashena on Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:16 AM PDTEverything is sacred
And the Oscar goes to...
by Jahanshah Javid on Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:10 AM PDTThanks to the Academy for this action. It's a shame for these artists to be punished for no reason other than doing their job. They are not enemies of the state, rather the state is the enemy of the people.