Iranian filmmaker reportedly arrested for making critical movie

Panahi, his wife, daughter and 15 other dissidents were arrested Monday night when security forces raided a private gathering at the family residence.

Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said Panahi's arrest was not politically motivated but was related to the commission of "some other crimes." He gave no details.

Websites reported Wednesday that the reason for the arrest was Panahi's new film, which is critical of the Islamic establishment but of which no details are yet available.

The gathering Monday that led to the raid was called to discuss ways to distribute the film abroad, but intelligence agents found out about it and arrested all those involved.

Panahi and several other Iranian filmmakers supported the opposition Green Movement, led by Mir-Hossein Moussavi, before and after the presidential elections in June, which Moussavi lost.

Panahi was among those who accused the government of election fraud and refused to acknowledge the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Iranian filmmakers claimed that since Ahmadinejad became president in 2005, there have been more restrictions on artists in general and film directors in particular.

Panahi and most filmmakers opposed to Ahmadinejad had reportedly boycotted Iran's International Film Festival last month.

In 2006, Panahi received the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for Offside, a film about Iranian girls who disguised themselves as boys to watch a World Cup qualification game of the national team.

A scheduled visit last month to Germany to attend the Berlin Film Festival had to be cancelled after Iranian authorities refused to give Panahi permission to leave Iran.

The Berlinale had invited Panahi as an honorary guest to join a panel discussion on Iranian cinema, which has garnered critical praise around the world.

Panahi also won the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion in 2000 for his film The Circle.


/Trend News/