Iranian Directors Face Death Threats and Court Summons After Emotional Film
Hold onto your popcorn, folks. Iranian filmmakers Behtash Sanaeeha and Maryam Moghadam are in some serious hot water following the premiere of their poignant drama *My Favourite Cake* at the Berlin Film Festival. Instead of basking in the glory of their creative genius, they’re facing death threats and a court summons. On top of that, they received an ominous invite to a revolutionary court showdown on March 1, after a nasty interrogation session at the infamous Evin prison.
What’s the beef, you might ask? The film, which follows a 70-year-old widow played by Lily Farhadpour who learns to embrace life following her husband’s death, clearly rubs the Islamic Republic regime the wrong way. Farhadpour’s character gets cozy with a male companion and even indulges in some wine—sacrilege in the eyes of the authorities. So, what do they do? They slap the filmmakers with a buffet of charges, including “propaganda against the regime” and “publishing obscene content.” You know, classic authoritarian tactics to keep creative minds in check.
My Favourite Cake is just one of many underground films hitting the Iranian cinema in the wake of the *Woman Life Freedom* protests sparked by Mahsa Amini’s tragic death. This movement is reshaping the narrative around women’s rights and freedoms in Iran—indeed, filmmakers are stepping up to challenge the old guard’s suffocating rules. Yet, it seems the crackdowns are only intensifying, with director Navid Mihandoust currently serving time on dubious charges simply for standing up for justice.
In an ironic twist, while Sanaeeha and Moghadam remained in Iran and were obstructed from attending their own film’s premiere, their lead actress and co-star waved their absence proudly during press events. The filmmakers’ troubles aren’t confined to police summons either; they’ve also been receiving bone-chilling threats from anonymous callers, proving it’s not just their film that’s under fire but their lives as well. Farhadpour has taken to social media to support her directors, rallying for awareness and assistance.
If that doesn’t reflect the state of filmmaking under oppressive regimes, I don’t know what does. More than just a film, *My Favourite Cake* showcases a society hungry for change, even if it comes at a staggering personal cost for its creators.
So, if you’re looking for a cinematic experience that’s heartfelt and defiant, *My Favourite Cake* might just serve that up—assuming its filmmakers can survive to see it shared with the world.
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and Deadline, The Guardian, Variety
