Last Saturday, a young shopkeeper in Tehran was dragged from his home at gunpoint by soldiers working for Iran’s Islamic Republic regime. In front of his terrified parents, the 28-year-old was handcuffed and taken into custody, now facing possible execution. His crime: protesting his own government. It’s one of many horrifying stories Tara Grammy has … Read more
movie review IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT Running time: 105 minutes. Rated PG-13 (violence, smoking, strong language). In Persian with subtitles. In theaters Oct. 15. There is nothing accidental about the way Jafar Panahi makes movies. The Iranian writer-director isn’t known for churning out sweet, innocent comedies that go down easily. He famously prods the … Read more
The celebrated Iranian film director Mohammad Rasoulof said he had fled the country, after a court sentenced him to eight years in prison for his movies. Mr. Rasoulof — known for his award-winning film “There Is No Evil” — had been barred from leaving Iran after his work criticized life under authoritarian rule in the … Read more