30 January,2017 08:14 AM IST | | Agencies
The Academy has released a statement denouncing the ban of Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, whose latest film, 'The Salesman', is nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Oscars, from the ceremony, to be held February 26
Asghar Farhadi
Asghar Farhadi
The Academy has released a statement denouncing the ban of Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, whose latest film, 'The Salesman', is nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Oscars, from the ceremony, to be held February 26. Farhadi will be unable to attend the Oscars owing to US President Donald Trump's executive order which prevents nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries in the states.
"As supporters of filmmakers - and the human rights of all people - around the globe, we find it extremely troubling that Asghar Farhadi, the director of the Oscar-winning film from Iran, A Separation, along with the cast and crew of this year's Oscar-nominated film, The Salesman, could be barred from entering the country because of their religion or country of origin," the statement read.
While The Salesman star Taraneh Alidoosti had earlier tweeted claiming that she wouldn't attend to ceremony as a sign of protest, other Hollywood celebrities too have spoken in favour of Farhadi.
Filmmaker Ava DuVernay tweeted, "Amplifying words of one of my favourite filmmakers, Asghar Farhadi, who like too many others will be turned away from the Land of the Free," while Michael Moore wrote, "To our Muslim neighbours in the world: I and tens of millions of others are so very sorry. The majority of Americans did not vote for this man."
American comedian Billy Eichner wrote, "Life is short & hard enough for everyone. The fact that our evil piece of shit President is already causing so much misery is unforgivable."
