IRAN SENTENCES TOP FILMMAKER TO PRISON

In a surprisingly iron-fisted action, Iran has sentenced one of its most honored filmmakers to six years in prison and banned him from making films for the next 20 years. Jafar Panahi was convicted of colluding with opponents of Iran’s leadership and making propaganda undermining the government. He was also barred from traveling abroad or [...]

IRAN RELEASES JAILED DIRECTOR

Award-winning Iranian film director Jafar Panahi was released on $200,000 bail today (Tuesday) from the Evin prison in Tehran, where he had been held since March on charges of producing an “anti-regime” film. The film was reportedly in early development. Panahi had been named as a judge at the Cannes Film Festival, which ended on [...]