Director Panahi ready to return to Iran after Cannes to work on next film
Director Jafar Panahi, producer Philippe Martin and cast members Delnaz Najafi, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, and Majid Panahi pose during a photocall for the film \"Un simple accident\" (It Was Just an Accident) in competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
Director Jafar Panahi and cast members Delnaz Najafi, Mariam Afshari, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, pose during a photocall for the film \"Un simple accident\" (It Was Just an Accident) in competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
Director Jafar Panahi poses during a photocall for the film \"Un simple accident\" (It Was Just an Accident) in competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
Director Panahi ready to return to Iran after Cannes to work on next film
CANNES, France - Although he is now free to travel again after a 15-year ban, Iranian director Jafar Panahi said on Wednesday he would be returning immediately to his country after attending the Cannes Film Festival to begin work on his next film.
Panahi was in southern France for the premiere of his latest film "It Was Just An Accident," which is competing against 21 other films for the festival's top prize, the Palme d'Or.
The 64-year-old was banned from making films or travelling abroad for 20 years in 2010, after he was convicted of "propaganda against the system". That sentence was recently revoked, allowing him to travel again for the first time in 15 years.
Despite the travel ban and multiple stints in jail, Panahi said that making films did not put him in any more danger than the actions of other Iranians.
"Every day, there is a restriction about the veil, every day there is an issue, but we see women going out unveiled. Isn't that dangerous?" said Panahi.
"As soon as the festival ends, the next evening I will be in Tehran," said the winner of several international awards, including the 2015 Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear for his film "Taxi".
"I need to go think about what my next film will be."
While he is also allowed to film again, Panahi said that the way he makes movies has not changed, as he does not follow the government's rules, such as submitting his script for approval.
"It Was Just An Accident" follows Vahid, played by Vahid Mobasseri, who kidnaps a man with a false leg who looks just like the one who tortured him in prison and ruined his life.
Panahi said that being in jail influenced the film but he himself did not experience all the stories recounted in it.
"When you imprison an artist, you're giving them material, you're handing them new ideas. You're opening up a whole new world to them," said the director.
The director, who was last at Cannes in person in 2003, when "Crimson Gold" was screened in the Un Certain Regard category, was visibly emotional, as was his cast, at Tuesday's premiere.
"The excitement of being able to show the conditions we're working in, the circumstances under which we struggle, of being able to show so many things and have others understand-especially people who are not from the Middle East - was truly meaningful and compelling for us," said actor Mariam Afshari. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Loretta Swit, ‘Hot Lips' Houlihan in hit TV series M*A*S*H, dies at age 87
Emmy Award-winning Loretta Swit played army combat nurse Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the acclaimed TV series M*A*S*H, set during the Korean War of the 1950s. PHOTO: REUTERS NEW YORK - Loretta Swit, the Emmy Award-winning actress who played no-nonsense US army combat nurse Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the hit TV series M*A*S*H for more than a decade, died on May 30 at the age of 87. Swit, a mainstay of one of the most successful and acclaimed series in US television history, died at her home in New York City from what was suspected to be natural causes, her publicist, Harlan Boll, said. Swit earned two best supporting actress Emmys and 10 nominations for her role as "Hot Lips," the lusty, tough but vulnerable, patriotic Army career nurse in the series that ran from 1972-1983. As the only regular female character in the groundbreaking show set in the fictional 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War of the 1950s, "Hot Lips" endured the insults, pranks and practical jokes of the fun-loving male surgeons. The show's cast also included Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson, Larry Linville, Mike Farrell, Harry Morgan, Gary Burghoff, David Ogden Stiers and Jamie Farr. Swit defined her role by playing a strong, determined, independent woman, who had input into the development and storyline of her character, including her split from her married lover Major Frank Burns, hilariously played by Linville, and her own wedding and divorce. She appeared in nearly all of the more than 250 episodes and the series finale, which was the most watched episode of any TV series in history when the show ended in 1983. The TV series was based on the real-life experiences of an Army surgeon, who penned the 1968 book MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, and on director Robert Altman's 1970 black comedy film of the same name. "While we were shooting, even from the very beginning, we were aware of how very special it was," Swit said about the series, in a 2017 interview with Fox News. "The symbiosis, the camaraderie, the love and respect we had for each other." Always wanted to perform Loretta Swit was born on Nov 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey. After finishing school, and against her strict parents' objections, she began training as an actress at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She worked as a stenographer while auditioning for roles. "The first thought I ever had in my head was being an actress. I can't remember ever not wanting to perform,' she told the Star magazine in a 2010 interview. The tall, blonde stage and TV star was a strict vegetarian and animal lover. She started her career in theatre and appeared in guest roles in TV dramas such as Gunsmoke, Mannix, Bonanza and the original Hawaii Five-O, before landing her signature role. M*A*S*H was a groundbreaking show set in the fictional 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War of the 1950s, and ran from 1972 to 1983. PHOTO: FOX Swit also originated the character of Detective Christine Cagney in the pilot for Cagney & Lacey, but could not take on the role in the TV series because of her contract with M*A*S*H. The actress made her Broadway debut in Same Time, Next Year in 1975. She performed in the musical Mame on tour and starred in the one-woman play Shirley Valentine more than 1,000 times over three decades. "Acting is not hiding to me, it's revealing. We give you licence to feel," she said, in an interview with Star magazine in 2010. "That's the most important thing in the world, because when you stop feeling, that's when you're dead.' After M*A*S*H, Swit appeared in TV movies, on game shows and on the stage and in films but she never found the same level of fame. She also devoted herself to animal rights and was a former spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States. She married actor Dennis Holahan, who played a Swedish diplomat in an episode of M*A*S*H, in 1983. The couple divorced in 1995 and had no children. Although M*A*S*H ended decades ago, Swit found new generations of fans through syndication of the series. "The show has never been off the air! A lot of people don't realise that," Swit told the Huffington Post in 2018. "I've seen it in Thailand, in Egypt... It's a phenomenon." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Loretta Swit, 'Hot Lips' Houlihan on 'M*A*S*H,' dies at 87
FILE PHOTO: Actor Loretta Swit poses during the Metropolitan Fashion Week's Closing Gala & Awards Show at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California, U.S. October 1, 2016. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok NEW YORK - Loretta Swit, the Emmy Award-winning actress who played no-nonsense U.S. Army combat nurse Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the hit TV series "M*A*S*H" for more than a decade, died on Friday at the age of 87. Swit, a mainstay of one of the most successful and acclaimed series in U.S. television history, died at her home in New York City from what was suspected to be natural causes, her publicist, Harlan Boll, said. Swit earned two best supporting actress Emmys and 10 nominations for her role as "Hot Lips," the lusty, tough but vulnerable, patriotic Army career nurse in the series that ran from 1972-1983. As the only regular female character in the groundbreaking show set in the fictional 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War of the 1950s, "Hot Lips" endured the insults, pranks and practical jokes of the fun-loving male surgeons. The show's cast also included Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson, Larry Linville, Mike Farrell, Harry Morgan, Gary Burghoff, David Ogden Stiers and Jamie Farr. Swit defined her role by playing a strong, determined, independent woman, who had input into the development and storyline of her character, including her split from her married lover Major Frank Burns, hilariously played by Linville, and her own wedding and divorce. She appeared in nearly all of the more than 250 episodes and the series finale, which was the most watched episode of any TV series in history when the show ended in 1983. The TV series was based on the real-life experiences of an Army surgeon, who penned the 1968 book "MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors," and on director Robert Altman's 1970 black comedy film of the same name. "While we were shooting, even from the very beginning, we were aware of how very special it was," Swit said about the series in a 2017 interview with Fox News. "The symbiosis, the camaraderie, the love and respect we had for each other." ALWAYS WANTED TO PERFORM Loretta Swit was born on November 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey. After finishing school, and against her strict parents' objections, she began training as an actress at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She worked as a stenographer while auditioning for roles. "The first thought I ever had in my head was being an actress. I can't remember ever not wanting to perform,' she told the Star magazine in a 2010 interview. The tall, blonde stage and TV star was a strict vegetarian and animal lover. She started her career in theater and appeared in guest roles in TV dramas such as "Gunsmoke," "Mannix," "Bonanza" and the original "Hawaii Five-O," before landing her signature role. Swit also originated the character of Detective Christine Cagney in the pilot for "Cagney & Lacey" but could not take on the role in the TV series because of her contract with "M*A*S*H". The actress made her Broadway debut in "Same Time, Next Year" in 1975. She performed in the musical "Mame" on tour and starred in the one-woman play "Shirley Valentine" more than 1,000 times over three decades. "Acting is not hiding to me, it's revealing. We give you license to feel," she said in an interview with the Star magazine in 2010. "That's the most important thing in the world, because when you stop feeling, that's when you're dead.' After "M*A*S*H" Swit appeared in TV movies, on game shows and on the stage and in films but she never found the same level of fame. She also devoted herself to animal rights and was a former spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States. She married actor Dennis Holahan, who played a Swedish diplomat in an episode of "M*A*S*H," in 1983. The couple divorced in 1995 and had no children. Although "M*A*S*H" ended decades ago, Swit found new generations of fans through syndication of the series. "The show has never been off the air! A lot of people don't realize that," Swit told the Huffington Post in 2018. "I've seen it in Thailand, in Egypt ... It's a phenomenon." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
In Ukraine's Kharkiv, ballet offers 'rebirth' after bombs and bullets
A firefighter works amidst ruins caused by a Russian drone strike in an industrial area, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine March 27, 2025. \"In spite of everything - the fact that bombs are flying, drones, and everything else - we can give a gift of something wonderful to people,\" said ballerina Antonina Radiievska, 43. \"They can come and, even if it's just for an hour or two, completely immerse themselves in a different world.\" REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura A ballerina prepares for practising the revival of 'Chopiniana,' the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in the underground area of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre amid ongoing attacks, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 25, 2025. \"In spite of everything - the fact that bombs are flying, drones, and everything else - we can give a gift of something wonderful to people,\" said ballerina Antonina Radiievska, 43. \"They can come and, even if it's just for an hour or two, completely immerse themselves in a different world.\" REUTERS/Marko Djurica A ballerina sits during a practise for the revival of 'Chopiniana,' the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in the underground area of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre amid ongoing attacks, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 25, 2025. \"In spite of everything - the fact that bombs are flying, drones, and everything else - we can give a gift of something wonderful to people,\" said ballerina Antonina Radiievska, 43. \"They can come and, even if it's just for an hour or two, completely immerse themselves in a different world.\" REUTERS/Marko Djurica Ballerina Olena Shliahina, 38, poses for a picture after practising for the revival of 'Chopiniana,' the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in the underground area of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre amid ongoing attacks, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 27, 2025. \"When we started performing here, I felt very happy because we finally went out to our audience,\" said Shliahina. REUTERS/Marko Djurica Ballerina Olha Sharikova, 35, poses for a picture after practising for the revival of 'Chopiniana,' the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in the underground area of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre amid ongoing attacks, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 27, 2025. \"We are waiting for peace,\" said Sharikova. \"My parents are here, we were very happy to return.\" REUTERS/Marko Djurica Ballerina Yulia Litvinova, 19, poses for a picture after practising for the revival of 'Chopiniana,' the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in the underground area of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre amid ongoing attacks, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 27, 2025. \"I'm pleased to feel that there is supposedly no war. Everything is almost as it was before the war,\" said Litvinova. REUTERS/Marko Djurica Ballerinas practise for the revival of 'Chopiniana,' the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in the underground area of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre amid ongoing attacks, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 26, 2025. \"In spite of everything - the fact that bombs are flying, drones, and everything else - we can give a gift of something wonderful to people,\" said ballerina Antonina Radiievska, 43. \"They can come and, even if it's just for an hour or two, completely immerse themselves in a different world.\" REUTERS/Marko Djurica KHARKIV, Ukraine - In the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, it's hard to escape the war with Russia. On some days, when the wind blows in the right direction, residents of the historic city can hear the boom of artillery fire from the front line, some 30 km (20 miles) away. Most nights, Russian kamikaze drones packed with explosives buzz over apartment buildings as parents put their children to bed. Frequently - but unpredictably - a Russian ballistic missile will slam into the city. Three years on from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, for many people in Kharkiv, the war with its unrelenting, inescapable proximity, takes a mental toll. But there is a space in the city where – for a few fleeting hours – the war stops existing. In the dark, brick-walled basement of the Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, a dance company has created a space protected from drones and bombs where audiences can lose themselves in performances of classic ballets. In April, the space was host to performances of "Chopiniana", an early 20th-century ballet with music by Frederic Chopin. Despite the makeshift setting, the ballet was performed with full classical pomp, complete with corps de ballet and orchestra. That marked a milestone for Kharkiv's cultural life because it was the first full performance of a classical ballet in the city since February 2022, when Russian troops invaded Ukraine. "In spite of everything - the fact that bombs are flying, drones, and everything else - we can give a gift of something wonderful to people," said Antonina Radiievska, artistic director of Opera East, the ballet company which staged the performance. "They can come and, even if it's just for an hour or two, completely immerse themselves in a different world." Despite Ukraine's history of excellence in classical ballet, the art form seems far removed from the everyday lives of Ukrainians in wartime. Daily routines are given over to checking apps for drone attack warnings, sleeping on the metro station floor to escape an air raid or seeking news of relatives on the front line. Pirouettes, pas-de-deux and chiffon tutus feel a world away. NEW NORMAL Nevertheless, the journey of Kharkiv's ballet through the war mirrors the ways Ukrainian society has adapted and evolved. On February 23, 2022, the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre put on a performance of the ballet "Giselle". The following day, Russia launched its full-scale invasion. As Moscow's troops reached the outskirts of Kharkiv and threatened to capture the city, the theatre closed its doors and many of the ballet troupe moved away. Some of them reassembled in Slovakia and Lithuania, and began touring ballet productions outside Ukraine with help from European sponsors. By 2023, the war was grinding on, but the situation in Kharkiv, in Ukraine's northeast, had stabilised after Russian ground forces pulled back. The realisation dawned on the city that this was a long game, a new, wartime reality. Local people started referring to the city - and themselves - using the Ukrainian word "nezlamniy", meaning invincible. It was that year that work began on converting the theatre basement into a performance space. In October 2023, it began to be used as a rehearsal space. In spring the following year, the theatre was granted permission to bring in an audience, and it held small-scale ballet performances such as children's concerts. The revival of "Chopiniana" represents the next milestone in Kharkiv's wartime cultural journey. Staging a classical opera again sends a message that Ukraine is still standing, according to Igor Tuluzov, Director-General of Opera East, the company staging the production. "We are demonstrating to the world that we really are a self-sufficient state, independent, in all its aspects, including cultural independence," he said. The auditorium seats 400 people on stackable chairs, compared to 1,750 in the main theatre upstairs, where the plush mustard seats lie empty. The stage downstairs is one quarter the size of the main stage. The aesthetic is grey-painted brick, concrete floors, pipes and electricity ducting running along the walls - a contrast to the varnished hardwood and marble of the space upstairs. The acoustic qualities of the basement, say the performers, don't match the lofty expanses of the main theatre. What matters to artistic director Radiievska, though, is that after a long hiatus, she and her troupe can once again perform at their best, in front of an audience. "It means, you know, life," she said. "An artist cannot exist without the stage, without creativity, without dance or song. It's like a rebirth." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
