Latest news with #ICFR
Qatar Tribune
25-05-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
PICPA Doha's webinar highlights CPA's role in cybersecurity, ICFR
Darlene Regis A free online webinar on cybersecurity and Internal Control over Financial Reporting (ICFR) for Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) was hosted by the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Doha LLC (G) on April 11, via Zoom. The event featured industry experts who shared valuable insights on how accounting professionals can effectively navigate and adapt to digital risks. Glenn William Alcala, CPA, CISA, advisory partner and chief information security officer at Reyes Tacandong & Co., discussed the vital role of CPAs in fostering cyber resilience. He underscored the importance of remaining vigilant against cyber threats and shared practical tips using the acronym CPA: C – Be Conscious of social engineering attacks, P – Leverage strong Passwords, and A – Adopt cyber awareness when browsing the web and using devices. Alcala emphasized that CPAs are prime targets for cyberattacks due to their access to sensitive and valuable financial information as part of their work. Christian Bravo, CPA, senior manager at EY London's Capital Markets Finance Optimisation, discussed strengthening Internal Control over Financial Reporting (ICFR) in the context of digital transformation. His presentation highlighted the need to modernize control frameworks and address the new risks posed by automation and emerging technologies. The session drew interest from accounting professionals eager to enhance their ability to safeguard themselves and their organizations against cybersecurity threats while refining internal processes in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape. This initiative reflects PICPA Doha LLC (G)'s ongoing commitment to supporting finance professionals by providing relevant learning opportunities that address current challenges and elevate the standards of the accounting profession.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘My Favourite Cake' Directors Given Suspended Jail Sentence in Iran for Showing an Unveiled Woman
Iranian directorial duo Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha have been given a 14-month suspended jail sentence by an Iranian court on charges that include alleged production of obscene content pertaining to their film 'My Favourite Cake.' The tender rom-com — which follows a 70-year-old woman named Mahin who decides to revitalize her love life and also appears unveiled in the film — launched from the Berlin Film Festival in 2024 and has since sold widely, giving audiences a glimpse of a rarely seen aspect of Iranian society. More from Variety Mohammad Rasoulof, Pedro Almodóvar, Juliette Binoche Sign Petition Supporting 'My Favourite Cake' Directors as 'Propaganda' Trial Starts in Iran Visa Problems and a Lack of Government Financial Support Jeopardize Iranian Filmmakers' Oscar Campaign Italian Journalist and Podcaster Cecilia Sala Freed by Iran Following 'Intensive' Diplomatic Effort After months of interrogations and continuous travel bans over the past two years — which prevented them from attending Berlin – Moghaddam and Sanaeeha had been charged with making a film labeled as 'obscene' and 'offending public morality.' They were also accused of 'propaganda against the regime' and other charges claiming the film was 'unlawfully' screened without the Iranian authorities' permits for distribution. The 14-month sentence, which has been suspended for five years, comes after the global film community rallied in support of the directors with a petition whose signatories included Mohammad Rasoulof — director of the Oscar-nominated feature 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig,' who in May fled from Iran to avoid prosecution related to that film — as well as Pedro Almodóvar, Juliette Binoche and Hiam Abbas, among many others. The petition, launched by the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR), may have helped get their prison sentence suspended. The Iranian court also convicted 'My Favourite Cake' producer Gholamreza Mousavi to the same sentence as the directors, which also includes a fine of 400 million Iranian Rials ($9,400). Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Euronews
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Global filmmaking community support Iranian directors before 'propaganda' trial starts in Iran
The global film community is showing support for Iranian directing duo Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha ahead of their trial over 'propaganda against the regime' allegations. After months of interrogations and travel bans over the past two years, Moghaddam and Sanaeeha are set to face Iran's Revolutionary Court on Saturday (1 March). The charges leveled against them concern the production and distribution of their Berlinale-premiering film My Favourite Cake – our joint Number 1 film of 2024 alongside Mohammad Rasoulof's now-Oscar nominated film The Seed of the Sacred Fig. The filmmaking duo's film follows a lonely septuagenarian widow Mahin (Lily Farhadpour) in Tehran who rediscovers her desires in a country where women's rights are heavily restricted. They are charged with making a film labeled as 'obscene' and 'offending public morality.' They are also accused of 'propaganda against the regime' and other charges claiming the film was 'unlawfully' screened without the Iranian authorities' permits for distribution. Signatories of the petition, launched by the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR), include Rasoulof, who fled Iran last year to avoid prosecution related to The Seed of the Sacred Fig — as well as Pedro Almodóvar, Juliette Binoche, Agnieszka Holland, Céline Sciamma, Joachim Trier, Hiam Abbas, the directors of the Berlin, Venice and Rotterdam, as well as the European Film Academy. The petition has gathered more than 3,200 signatures so far. It reads: We, the undersigned, call upon the Islamic Republic of Iran's authorities to immediately and unconditionally clear all the charges levelled at filmmakers Maryam Moghadam & Behtash Sanaeeha. After months of interrogation, and after continuous travel bans for the past two years, they are now due to appear in Iran's Revolutionary Court on March 1st, 2025 because of their Berlinale-awarded film My Favourite Cake, which has been labelled as "obscene", as "offending public morality", as "propaganda against the regime", and as 'unlawfully' screened without the authorities' permits for distribution. In the light of these persecutions, we stand uniformly by Maryam & Behtash and their freedom and right to create and to express themselves, just like any filmmaker and artist should be able to.' In our interview with Mohammad Rasoulof, he stated: 'I'd like to flag up the filmmakers of My Favourite Cake, Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha, who are undergoing all sorts of problems inside Iran. They are banned from leaving the country because of their films, and in fact, they are being investigated for similar charges for spreading prostitution and corruption on Earth, for instance. This atmosphere will be the cause of a series of new problems because in the world now, it's not possible to control content, like the Iranian regime does. The result of this is more and more repression, and acts of subversion will surface, as the government cannot control everything.' You can read the full interview here. In our review for My Favourite Cake, we wrote: 'My Favourite Cake is a gently subversive film that dares to pepper radicalism within a poignant tragicomedy. (...) Behind a seemingly harmless set up and a Linklater-ish second half lies messages of female empowerment that are not tolerated under the nation's repressive regime. Driven by two magnificent central performances, which make the allegorically loaded epilogue truly resonant, Moghaddam and Sanaeeh's film is a subtle but powerful snapshot of the harsh realities facing Iranian women, as well as a commentary about what could befall those daring to take control of their destinies. It's impressive and haunting in equal measure.'
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mohammad Rasoulof, Pedro Almodóvar, Juliette Binoche Sign Petition Supporting ‘My Favourite Cake' Directors as ‘Propaganda' Trial Starts in Iran
Support is mounting across the global film community for Iranian directing duo Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha ahead of their trial over 'propaganda against the regime' allegations related to their film 'My Favourite Cake.' The two are set to face Iran's Revolutionary Court on Saturday. Signatories include Mohammad Rasoulof — the director of the Oscar-nominated feature 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig,' who in May fled from Iran to avoid prosecution related to that film — as well as Pedro Almodóvar, Juliette Binoche, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Agnieszka Holland, Hiam Abbas, Isabel Coixet and the directors of the Venice, Berlin, Rotterdam and Sydney film festivals. The petition, launched by the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR), has gathered over 3,000 signatures so far. More from Variety Visa Problems and a Lack of Government Financial Support Jeopardize Iranian Filmmakers' Oscar Campaign 'Seed of the Sacred Fig' Director Mohammad Rasoulof Says Iranian Regime Is 'Waiting to Announce the Verdict' for Persecuted Cast and Crew Until 'After the Oscars' Mohammad Rasoulof Watched 'There Is No Evil' With His Own Prison Guards 'Seven Nights in a Row': 'I Was Bound to the Bed and They Were Complimenting Me' After months of interrogations and continuous travel bans over the past two years — which prevented them from attending last year's Berlin Film Festival, where 'My Favourite Cake' bowed in competition — Moghaddam and Sanaeeha are now due to appear in court. They are charged with making a film labeled as 'obscene' and 'offending public morality.' They are also accused of 'propaganda against the regime' and other charges claiming the film was 'unlawfully' screened without the Iranian authorities' permits for distribution. 'In the light of these persecutions, we stand uniformly by Maryam and Behtash and their freedom and right to create and to express themselves, just like any filmmaker and artist should be able to,' the ICFR petition reads. Since its 2024 Berlin bow, the tender rom-com — which follows a 70-year-old woman named Mahin who decides to revitalize her love life and also appears unveiled in the film — has sold widely around the world and given audiences a glimpse of a rarely seen aspect of Iranian society. As Variety critic Jessica Kiang put it in her 'My Favourite Cake' review, 'Mahin embarks on an extremely genteel form of cruising, allowing the character's sense of mischief and self-aware daring to peek through her natural, and socially mandated, reserve.' Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in March 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win?
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pedro Almodóvar, Ali Abbasi and More Film Figures Fight Prosecution of Iranian Directors
The international film community is in uproar over the summoning of Iranian filmmakers Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha to court in their native country amid the production and distribution of their 2024 Berlin Film Festival feature My Favourite Cake. The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR) has reiterated its unequivocal support for Moghadam and Sanaeeha, currently awaiting the start of their trial with Iran's Revolutionary Court on Mar. 1. More from The Hollywood Reporter MIP London Panel Takes Optimistic Stance on AI, Citing 'Shogun' Success and 'Brutalist' Concerns Drake Cancels Remaining Australia, New Zealand Tour Dates Anti-Elon Musk Poster "Don't Buy a Swasticar" in London Goes Viral The charges leveled against them concern the production and distribution of their My Favourite Cake, a movie about a woman in Tehran who rediscovers her desires in a country where women's rights are heavily restricted. Authorities first raided the offices of the film's editor in 2023, the ICFR said, with Moghadam and Sanaeeha 'under continuous scrutiny of the Iranian regime.' The Iranian government's persecution efforts led to a travel ban for the directors, which meant they could not attend their film's world premiere at the 2024 Berlinale in person, they told THR at the time. The ICFR has now launched a petition gathering momentum among the international film community. It currently at 2,200+ signatures and has been signed so far by industry-famous creatives Pedro Almodóvar, Juliette Binoche, Céline Sciamma, Joachim Trier, Hiam Abbass, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Ali Abbasi and Arthur Harari, as well as such institutions as Berlinale, Venice Film Festival, Quinzaine des Cinéastes, the European Film Academy and Sydney Film Fest. At the 2024 Berlinale, a statement from Moghadam and Sanaeeha read: 'We have come to believe that it is no longer possible to tell the story of an Iranian woman while obeying strict laws such as the mandatory hijab. Women for whom the red lines prevent the depiction of their true lives, as full human beings. This time, we decided to cross all of the restrictive red lines, and accept the consequences of our choice to paint a real picture of Iranian women – images that have been banned in Iranian cinema ever since the Islamic Revolution.' After a long string of interrogations at the Evin Security Prosecutor's Office, the duo are now expected in court on Saturday on allegations of 'propaganda against the regime,' 'production, distribution and duplication of a film with obscene content,' 'offending public decency and morality' and 'screening the film without obtaining a screening/distribution license.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter The Best Anti-Fascist Films of All Time Dinosaurs, Zombies and More 'Wicked': The Most Anticipated Movies of 2025 From 'A Complete Unknown' to 'Selena' to 'Ray': 33 Notable Music Biopics
