At a talk held in New York, two masters shared the same stage: Martin Scorsese and Jafar Panahi. The room heated up when Panahi referred to Scorsese as a 'god of cinema'. The conversation quickly turned to the pressures on Iranian cinema, with Scorsese making a global call for support for these films. Panahi, on the other hand, explained that production continues despite the censorship in his country. The meeting swiftly climbed to the top of the cultural agenda.
Source: Independent
The event was delayed by a week due to visa issues, and the first photos of the meeting quickly spread on social media. On stage, Penahi referred to Scorsese as a 'god of cinema,' while Scorsese reciprocated by embracing him in support. The seasoned director reminded everyone of the challenging conditions under which directors in Iran work, and made a public appeal to streaming platforms, saying, 'These films should be supported; there is no reason for places like Criterion, Mubi, Amazon not to show them.'
Penahi spoke about the scale of the oppression, saying, 'It's very hard to bear. Those who form the backbone of Iranian cinema are abroad. We've missed out on films that could have been made in Iran but were never filmed. I don't have the courage to leave Iran and live somewhere else. I've stayed there and will continue to work.' He reminded everyone of the prohibitions imposed on him for years, such as not being able to make films, write, give interviews, or leave the country. He said that in such an environment, he had to devote half of his energy to the question, 'how can I make a film?' Despite this, he emphasized that young Iranian filmmakers continue to create on their own soil, even if they have to do so secretly and without succumbing to censorship. Penahi also mentioned that the ongoing change in Iran is being accelerated by women's resistance, and that this will transform cinema as well.