Panahi’s been released. Story thread on Entertainment Weekly’s Web site.
http://news-briefs.ew.com/2010/05/25/iran-releases-filmmaker-jafar-panahi-from-prison/
Thank you T.J. for the update on Panahi’s release.
(thumbs up)
Here are some post-release photos Panahi’s son posted on his Facebook page.
From what I’ve read, Panahi has been released on bail, but the Iranian authorities are still intending to pursue the case.
Free Jafar Panahi (Again!) http://mubi.com/topics/12684
It’s a damned shame that this is still an issue nine months later.
Matt Parks
The Iranian values public opinion, at least from the international film community, because they value their filmmakers winning awards at Cannes, Venice, etc. They just want to control what the filmmakers are able to say in their films, just like they want to be able to limit the amount of political dissent that’s expressed internally—at least that’s my sense of it.
-I hope Panahi makes it through this ordeal, but I don’t this having a happy ending or even an acceptable ending-Well, I hope that Panahi is freed and is able to continue to make films, and will be allowed again to travel abroad. I don’t think he’s been allowed to travel outside Iran since the previous arrest in 2009—to me that would be the only really “acceptable” ending.