The Seed of the Sacred Fig
| The Seed of the Sacred Fig | |
|---|---|
| Persian | دانهی انجیر معابد |
| Directed by | Mohammad Rasoulof |
| Written by | Mohammad Rasoulof |
| Produced by | Mohammad Rasoulof Rozita Hendijanian Amin Sadraei Jean-Christophe Simon Mani Tilgner |
| Starring | Soheila Golestani Missagh Zareh Mahsa Rostami Setareh Maleki |
| Cinematography | Pooyan Aghababaei |
| Edited by | Andrew Bird |
| Music by | Karzan Mahmood |
Production companies | |
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Release date |
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Running time | 168 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | Persian |
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Persian: دانهی انجیر معابد) is a 2024 drama film written and directed by Mohammad Rasoulof. The story centers on Iman, an investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, who grapples with mistrust and paranoia as nationwide political protests intensify and his gun mysteriously disappears.[1]
The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 24 May 2024.[2] Ahead of its premiere, Rasoulof was sentenced to eight years in prison by Iranian authorities. He successfully fled to Germany and attended the red carpet at Cannes.
Plot[edit]
The story centers on Iman, an honest lawyer who has recently been appointed as an investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. With his increased status, Iman discovers that he is expected to approve death-penalty judgments without assessing the evidence. He is also ordered to withhold information from his friends and family who could be targeted as a means of pressuring him. The state issues him a handgun for his family's protection, but Iman is woefully unprepared to handle the gun and fails to properly store it in a secure compartment in the house.
As nationwide political protests intensify, his life is pervaded by mistrust and paranoia. He berates his two daughters for their feminist sensibilities which he dismisses as enemy propaganda. When his wife and two daughters assist an injured protestor during a demonstration against compulsory hijab, they decide to keep the incident secret from Iman. Iman's gun mysteriously disappears and he becomes suspicious of the women of his family, believing one of them has taken it and is lying to him.
Cast[edit]
- Soheila Golestani as Najmeh
- Missagh Zareh as Iman
- Mahsa Rostami as Rezvan
- Setareh Maleki as Sana
- Niousha Akhshi as Sadaf
- Reza Akhlaghirad as Ghaderi
- Shiva Ordooie as Fateme
Background[edit]
The Seed of the Sacred Fig is the tenth directorial work by Mohammad Rasoulof. In the past, he had repeatedly violated Iranian censorship regulations with his films and was given three prison sentences as well as bans on working and leaving the country. In 2020, his film There Is No Evil won the top prize at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, where it was awarded in his absence.[3]
Rasoulof was originally scheduled to take part in the 2023 Cannes Film Festival as a jury member of the Un Certain Regard section. However, he was arrested in July 2022 after criticising the government's crackdown on protestors in the southwestern city of Abadan over a deadly building collapse. He was temporarily released from prison in February 2023 due to his health. Rasoulof was later pardoned and sentenced to a year in prison and a two-year ban on leaving Iran for "propaganda against the regime."[4]
Following the Cannes selection announcement, the Iranian authorities interrogated the cast and crew, banned them from leaving the country, and pressured them to convince Rasoulof to withdraw the film from the festival line-up.[5][6][7] On 8 May 2024, Rasoulof's lawyer announced that the director has been sentenced to eight years in prison as well as flogging, a fine and confiscation of his property.[8][9]
Shortly after, Rasoulof and some crew members managed to flee from Iran to Europe.[10][11] Rasoulof's described his 28-day escape from Iran as an "exhausting, long, complicated, and anguishing journey". He traveled on foot between border villages, ultimately arriving in a town with a German consulate which identified him using his fingerprints and issued him a temporary travel document which he used to travel to Germany.[12][13][14] Rasoulof and the cast and crew attended the film's red carpet at Cannes on 24 May 2024. During his appearance, he held two photographs displaying the actors Soheila Golestani and Missagh Zareh, both of whom have been unable to leave Iran.[15]
Release[edit]
The Seed of the Sacred Fig was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 24 May 2024.[16] The film received a standing ovation with reports that it lasted either 12 minutes[17] or 15 minutes.[18] Prior to its screening, Neon acquired North American distribution rights to the film, planning to release it later that year.[19]
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 9 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.7/10.[20]
Accolades[edit]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | 25 May 2024 | Palme d'Or | Mohammad Rasoulof | Pending | [21] |
References[edit]
- ^ Rosser2024-05-03T11:54:00+01:00, Michael. "Films Boutique boards Mohammad Rasoulof's Cannes title 'The Seed Of The Sacred Fig' (exclusive)". Screen. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "The Seed of the Sacred Fig by Mohammad Rasoulof, in official competition at Cannes Festival 2024". www.sortiraparis.com. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (22 April 2024). "Cannes Film Festival Adds Michel Hazanavicius, Mohammad Rasoulof Movies to Competition Lineup (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (22 April 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof Sets Cannes Return with 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' — Though Whether He'll Be There in Person Is Unclear". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 23 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ "Iranian authorities ban film crew from attending Cannes Film Festival". euronews. 1 May 2024. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ "Cannes: Iranian Authorities Pressuring 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' Director to Withdraw Film from Competition". World of Reel. 19 August 2019. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ Rosser, Michael (1 May 2024). "Iran bans actors, crew of Mohammed Rasoulof's 'The Seed Of The Sacred Fig' from attending Cannes". Screen International. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ "Iranian Authorities Sentence 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' Director to 8 Years in Prison and Flogging". World of Reel. 19 August 2019. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (8 May 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof Sentenced To Eight Years In Prison, Flogging & Confiscation Of Property, Says Lawyer". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Chrisafis, Angelique; Shoard, Catherine (13 May 2024). "Iranian film director Mohammad Rasoulof flees Iran to avoid prison". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ Goldbart, Max (22 May 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof Will Attend Cannes Screening Of 'The Seed Of The Sacred Fig'". Deadline. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (23 May 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof On His "Anguishing" 28-Day Journey To Escape Iran After Covertly Shooting 'The Seed Of The Sacred Fig' & How He Landed In Germany – Cannes". Deadline. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Zilko, Christian (18 May 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof Details His 'Exhausting and Dangerous' Escape from Iran Before 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' Debuts at Cannes". IndieWire. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (24 May 2024). "How Mohammad Rasoulof Escaped Iran and Why He Will Continue Fighting: "I Will Never Forget That the Islamic Republic Is a Terrorist"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Yuan, Yada (24 May 2024). "Iranian director risks Cannes appearance after escaping arrest". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ "The Screenings Guide of the 77th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. 8 May 2024. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
- ^ Setoodeh, Ramin; Shafer, Ellise (24 May 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof's 'Seed of the Sacred Fig' Shakes Up Cannes With 2024 Record 12-Minute Standing Ovation, Becoming Palme d'Or Frontrunner". Variety. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (24 May 2024). "Mohammad Rasoulof's 'The Seed Of The Sacred Fig' World Premiere Gets Nearly 15-Minute, Emotional Standing Ovation – Cannes Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (18 May 2024). "Neon Takes North American Rights To Mohammad Rasoulof's 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ^ "The Seed of the Sacred Fig". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (22 April 2024). "Oliver Stone, Lou Ye, Michel Hazanavicius Films & 'The Count Of Monte Cristo' Among New Titles Added To Cannes 2024 Official Selection". Deadline. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
