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Sorry for being quiet since the last screening on December 25. The Xmas period was busy, and we were dealing with distributors registering with them and chasing certain movies, etc. Finally, we will be screening the first film of the new year. This event will be repeated on 1st of February as well.The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a 2024 political drama film written, co-produced and directed by Mohammad Rasoulof. The Seed of the Sacred Fig had its premiere on 24 May 2024 at the main competition of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or, winning the Special Jury Prize. Ahead of its premiere, Rasoulof was sentenced to eight years in prison by Iranian authorities. After successfully fleeing to Germany, Rasoulof and other cast and crew members attended the Cannes' red carpet premiere. The film received critical acclaim and was theatrically released in France on 18 September 2024 and in Germany on 26 December 2024. It was named the Best International Film of 2024 by the National Board of Review.
Following the Cannes selection announcement, the Iranian authorities interrogated the cast and crew, banning them from leaving the country and pressuring them to convince Rasoulof to withdraw the film from the festival line-up. On 8 May 2024, Rasoulof's lawyer announced that the director had been sentenced to eight years in prison as well as flogging, a fine and confiscation of his property.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig is the tenth directorial work of Mohammad Rasoulof. The title refers to a species of fig that spreads by "wrapping itself around another tree and eventually strangling it." This was seen as a symbol of the theocratic regime in Iran. The filming of The Seed of the Sacred Fig took place in secret and lasted about 70 days, from late December 2023 to March 2024. Rasoulof described the process as "difficult". He could only film for a few days at a time before having to take breaks.
The footage was smuggled out of Iran to Hamburg.
The filmmakers Edward Berger, Tim Fehlbaum, Ciro Guerra, Don Hertzfeldt, Payal Kapadia, Joshua Oppenheimer, Laura Poitras, and Paul Schrader all ranked The Seed of the Sacred Fig as one of their favorite films of 2024.
SUMMARY: An investigating judge struggles with paranoia amid political unrest in Tehran caused by the death of a young woman. When his gun goes missing, he suspects his wife and daughters, imposing harsh measures that fray family ties.
ORIGINAL TITLE: Dāne-ye anjīr-e ma'ābed
DIRECTOR: Mohammad Rasoulof
WRITER: Mohammad Rasoulof
STARS: Soheila Golestani, Missagh Zareh, Mahsa Rostami
COUNTRIES: Germany, Iran, France
GENRE: Comedy, Drama
LANGUAGE: Persian with English subtitles
RUNNING TIME: 2h 47m
CERTIFICATE: 15
AWARDS: 36 wins and 72 nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film, the Jury Special Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Best International Feature at the Sydney Film Festival, and the Cinema for Peace Dove award at the Cinema for Peace Awards.
IMDB: 7.5
ROTTEN TOMATOES: 97%
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