Rasoulof Cites Panahi’s Prison Term as He and O Mipo Win Kurosawa — SkimNews
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- Mohammad Rasoulof cited Jafar Panahi’s five-year prison sentence and property confiscation as evidence of continued repression against Iranian cinema, speaking at a Tokyo press conference.
- Mohammad Rasoulof shifted from using metaphor to direct storytelling in his films after his 2010 arrest and five-year sentence, rejecting allegory as a form of self-protection.
- The Kurosawa Akira Award selection committee honored Rasoulof for films like 'There Is No Evil' and 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig,' which portray enforcers of oppression as ordinary citizens.
- O Mipo resumed her filmmaking career after a nine-year hiatus, inspired by actress Ando Sakura’s statement that balancing child-rearing and filmmaking is impossible.
- O Mipo prioritized life-first working conditions in the film industry, advocating for crews to center personal responsibilities like parenting or caregiving.
- O Mipo used extensive rehearsals and a full screenplay co-written with Takada Ryo for 'How Dare You?', casting mostly first-time child actors through weekend workshops.
Why it matters: Rasoulof’s recognition highlights the material risk filmmakers face under Iran’s regime, where direct critique now carries prison terms and asset seizure, while O Mipo’s return underscores a growing challenge to Japan’s rigid industry norms that penalize caregiving, affecting crew retention and creative diversity.
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