Oscar-Hopeful Mohammad Rasoulof, Director of ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig,’ Sets Animated Feature About Iranian Revolution

As a seasoned movie enthusiast who has traversed the globe to uncover the hidden gems of international cinema, I find myself captivated by the story of Mohammad Rasoulof, an exiled Iranian filmmaker whose passion for his homeland burns as brightly as ever. His decision to tackle the life of absurdist playwright Abbas Nalbandian through animation is a bold and innovative move, one that promises to transport us into the heart of modern Iranian history in a way that live-action films might find difficult.

Mohammad Rasoulof, director of “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”, has revealed more information about his upcoming animated project. He shared with EbMaster that this story will trace the life of absurdist Iranian playwright Abbas Nalbandian, starting a decade before the Iranian Revolution and continuing until the playwright’s demise, a decade later.

For his forthcoming project, Rasoulof intends to zero in on three crucial decades that shaped contemporary Iranian history. He believes that this significant era can be effectively portrayed through a more artistic and creative filmmaking approach.

As the revolution neared, everyone in Iran seemed to glimpse Ayatollah Khomeini’s visage in the moon, according to Rasoulof. It was a mass, shared experience reminiscent of a collective hallucination, and it’s a powerful image that can effectively be portrayed through animation.

Absolutely, animation serves as a means for an exiled filmmaker to continue sharing tales from his homeland, Tehran, even though he currently resides in Germany. In conversation with EbMaster at the Marrakech Film Festival, this fugitive filmmaker is not planning an immediate return to Iran, but remains committed to narrating stories from his origin.

Rasoulof identifies as an Iranian filmmaker,” he states. “My inspiration and roots stem from my community, the society I deeply care for, and my native tongue.

In his self-imposed exile, the filmmaker intends to draw inspiration from contemporary films of the Persian diaspora, particularly Farsi-language productions such as “Holy Spider” by Ali Abbasi (which was filmed in Jordan) and “Universal Language” by Matthew Rankin (shot in Canada, and selected as Canada’s entry for the International Feature Oscar this year). He plans to collaborate with a diverse range of talent and themes from a global pool.

Rasoulof notes that we’re also an extensive community residing overseas,” he continues. “This, then, is where I will expand my research and creativity.

The director has employed a similar approach in his work previously, with a significant portion of his critically-acclaimed 2013 film “Manuscripts Don’t Burn” being shot in Europe. Similar to the covert techniques used for “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” he predominantly chose this location to evade government scrutiny. Despite appearing to have more freedom in his travels now, he continues to feel increasingly restricted.

Being separated from my community while in Europe feels like a self-imposed barrier,” he explains. “It’s tough trying to grow when you’re not fully immersed in an environment that supports you, but I believe it can be done. I’m going to give myself some space and time to let fresh ideas emerge and guide me towards discovering innovative solutions for these new challenges. I’ll find a way to navigate through this.

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2024-12-09 11:46