Points of View

Jafar Panahi is a director, writer and  producer from Iran. His films are known for portraying realistic images of the Iranian society, causing them to be banned from the screen in Iran. Panahi was arrested twice. The second time for 86 days when finally the Iranian government, pressured by the solidarity of international film festivals and well known filmmakers, released him on bail. Panahi has won a number of human right prizes, such as the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and The Medal of Art for Freedom. His first feature, The White Balloon, premiered in 1977 in Cannes’ Directors Fortnight and won the Camera d’Or. The Circle premiered in 2003 in Venice and won the Golden Lion. Crimson Gold premiered in Un Certain Regard in Cannes and won The Jury Prize. Offside premiered in 2010 in Berlin and won the Silver Bear for Best Director. This Is Not a Film premiered in 2012 in Cannes Official Selection in Special Screening. Closed Curtain premiered in 2013 in Berlin and won the Silver Bear for Best Script. Taxi premiered in 2015 in Berlin and won the Golden Bear Award. 3 Faces premiered in Cannes in 2018 and won the Best Screenplay Award.