Iranian Film Wins International Prize Despite Persecution
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“Bidad”. Courtesy of KVIFF |
Iranian director Soheil Beiraghi’s film “Bidad” has won the Special Jury Prize at the 59th Karlovy Vary Film Festival in Czech Republic, even as several cast and crew members face prison sentences in Iran for their involvement in the film.
Bidad addresses the prohibition of women’s solo singing voices in Iran. Iranian courts convicted multiple people involved in the production of the film on charges such as “propaganda activities against the system,” “producing vulgar content,” and “encouraging behaviors contrary to public decency through virtual space.”
Beiraghi himself was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, a verdict he announced on Instagram with the comment, “For not reproducing lies, that’s all.”
The film was added to the Karlovy Vary competition lineup shortly before the festival began, in an effort to protect the safety of its creators.
Among those facing legal consequences are prominent actors Amir Jadidi, Leily Rashidi, and Servin Zabtian, as well as crew members including Beiraghi’s wife, Roksana Nikpour.
At the center of Bidad is Seti, a young woman whose bold declaration reverberates throughout the film.
“I want to sing alone, just that,” she says, responding to a music teacher who insists that women’s voices must remain beneath men’s - a reflection of Iran’s effective ban on female solo performances in public.