The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk has come out in support of the Iranian people as protests in the country continue.
“We, the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk, hereby declare our full and heartfelt solidarity with all those in Iran who stand up for their basic human rights and the freedom of expression,” the organization said in a statement on Tuesday. The death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody in Tehran on Sept. 16 has sparked widespread protests across Iran.
Founded by the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, International Film Festival Rotterdam and the European Film Academy, the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk advocates for filmmakers facing persecution and other threats to their personal safety. The international coalition of filmmakers works to defend the right of their peers to continue their work by mobilizing the global film community.
“This is a revolution which was sparked off by women and which unites all the ethnic, religious and social parts of the population; a revolution for a free and worthy life, liberated from the ruling of hateful autocrats who have used every tool for suppression, oppression and atrocity; from terror to prison and execution to suppress the people of Iran and to bury them and their dreams of a decent life,” the filmmaking group continued in their statement.
Among the organization’s ambassadors is British actress Helen Mirren and Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who is currently serving a six-year prison term in Iran. Iranian authorities arrested Panahi in July when he visited the Tehran prosecutor’s office to inquire about the cases of fellow detained dissident filmmakers, Mohamad Rasoulof and Mostafa al-Ahmad.
“We call on the Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally stop the use of any force and violence, to release all those arrested during the protests, and to allow the people of Iran to design the society they wish to live in. We encourage all film and culture institutions around the world to do the same,” the film professionals concluded.
Earlier, over 1,000 working professionals from the world of French cinema, including luminaries like Isabelle Huppert, Léa Seydoux and Thierry Fremaux, signed an open letter to urge those “shocked” by Amini’s “murder” to “support the protesters loud and clear.”
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