Jafar Panahi on Iran Protests, Censorship, and Filmmaking Under Repression

Iran's Nationwide Protests and State Violence

• ⚠️ Activists report at least 2,600 deaths in Iran's nationwide protests, described as the biggest challenge to the rulers since the 1979 revolution.
• 🚨 The scale of killings is likely higher due to a nationwide communications blackout and internet shutdown, with Amnesty International accusing security forces of mass killings.
• 💥 Jafar Panahi denounces the situation as a "bloodbath" and a "savage massacre," stating the regime is causing this to delay its inevitable collapse.

Filmmaking Under Censorship and State Repression

• 🎬 Panahi's latest film, "It Was Just an Accident," was shot secretly in Iran and deals with themes of state violence and the cycle of revenge.
• 🚫 He has faced repeated arrests, prison sentences, and a travel ban for defying censorship laws and spreading "anti-government propaganda."
• 💡 Panahi emphasizes that cinema's role is to make people think and feel, but the real scene is now on the streets of Iran, not on screens.

Panahi's Journey and Cinematic Solutions

• 🎥 Panahi was drawn to filmmaking at a young age, inspired by seeing a camera and later by capturing the world through photography.
• 🚗 Facing censorship, he adopted an "underground" filmmaking style, exemplified by "Taxi," where he hid cameras in his car to tell passengers' stories.
• 🛠️ "It Was Just an Accident" was also made underground, using risky locations and covert methods to circumvent security and censorship.

Reflections on Freedom, Violence, and the Future

• ✊ Panahi recalls joining protests against the Shah 47 years ago, driven by a desire for freedom of expression, which the clerical class exploited.
• 💔 He laments that the regime has spent 47 years planting seeds of violence and expresses concern about whether future generations will escape cycles of violence.
• 🕊️ Panahi's core message is a plea for peace and for the country to stand, hoping that children will not have to face bullets, and calls on the global film community to speak out against the human catastrophe in Iran.

Panahi's Commitment to Return to Iran

• ✈️ Despite a new prison sentence and travel ban, Panahi is committed to returning to Iran after his film campaign, stating it is where he must exist and can make films.
• 💬 He urges artists and the global film community to use their voices and platforms to confront the human catastrophe rather than turn a blind eye.