Hamburg shows solidarity with Director Mohammad Rasoulof

Mohammad Rasoulof's latest film Es gibt kein Böses, funded by the FFHSH, is screening in competition at this year's Berlinale. It is doubtful whether the Iranian Director and Hamburg resident by choice will be present at the world premiere of his film. The filmmaker, who was sentenced in his home country last year, is still not allowed to leave Iran. Mohammad Rasoulof has lived in Hamburg since 2012.

Dr Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media: "Filmmakers around the world are increasingly facing attacks on their work. This makes it all the more important to take a stand and stand up in solidarity for their freedom, our values and the dignity of the individual. Despite the high personal risk, Mohammad Rasoulof repeatedly chooses to take a stand in his films. He deserves my utmost respect for this courage and his stance. I very much hope that the travel ban will soon be lifted by the Iranian regime and that Mohammad Rasoulof can celebrate the world premiere of his film in person in Berlin and soon put down roots again in his adopted home of Hamburg."

Helge Albers, CEO of Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein"Artistic freedom is not a luxury. It should be a matter of course. We want Mohammad Rasoulof to be able to pursue his profession anywhere in the world without any danger to life and limb. The invitation to the Berlinale competition is a great honour for the Hamburg native and underlines his status in the world of cinema. We call on the Iranian authorities to allow Mohammad Rasoulof to leave the country for the world premiere of his film and hope that he will be able to pursue his work without restrictions in the future."

Albert Wiederspiel, FILMFEST HAMBURG"It is hard to believe that a Director who holds humanitarian values higher than almost anyone else in today's cinema is being condemned and prevented from leaving the country. Mohammad Rasoulof loves his country and his people - his films are declarations of love in the best tradition of Iranian cinema."

InThere is no evil In four episodes, the Directors explores the question of the extent to which people in an authoritarian regime are responsible for their own actions, regardless of what they do to others. The German Executive Producer is Hamburg-based Cosmopol Film.

Iranian authorities had already confiscated Rasoulof's passport in September 2017 when he returned to Tehran from the Telluride Film Festival. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards accused him of "endangering national security" and "propaganda against the Islamic government". This propaganda accusation led to a conviction by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in mid-September 2019. Mohammad Rasoulof was sentenced to one year in prison and a two-year travel ban. He was also banned from membership of political and social organisations.

Mohammad Rasoulof was a guest at FILMFEST HAMBURG for the first time in 2005 and has been on friendly terms with the festival ever since. His film Iron Island received the Hamburg Film Critics' Award in 2005. Later films shown in Hamburg includedThe White Meadows and as the opening film 2011Goodbyewhich had to be smuggled out of Iran at the time. After his passport was confiscated, Rasoulof was no longer able to attend the German premiere of his filmA Man of Integrity at FILMFEST HAMBURG. The film had previously been awarded the main prize in the "Un Certain Regard" section in Cannes. The film The Red Coupé by Ashkan Najafi was screened at FILMFEST HAMBURG in 2019; the script was written by Mohammad Rasoulof, who also co-produced the film.