Free Screening To Protest Imprisonment Of Iranian Filmmakers

By Rob Christopher in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 3, 2011 6:30PM

In December Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasulov were sentenced by the Iranian government to six years in prison for the crime of "conspiring against the ruling system." The two Iranian filmmakers have also been banned from film-making for twenty years. Various online petitions and open letters have been circulating in support of their release, including one by fellow Iranian filmmaker Rafi Pitts.

Facets, who distributes some of Panahi's work, is holding a free screening of Panahi's film The Circle on Sunday, January 16 at 1 p.m. It was banned by the Iranian government but won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2000. "Why is it considered dangerous in Iran? Because it argues that under current Iranian law, unattached women are made to feel like hunted animals," Roger Ebert notes.

Guest speakers to be announced will be present during the screening to provide context and updates concerning advocacy efforts.

Facets is located at 1517 W Fullerton Ave.