Oscar Academy to stand by Asghar Farhadi

EghtesadOnline: Oscar Academy issued a statement following the reports of Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi’s travel ban to attend the 89th Academy Awards.

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29 January 2017

A day after President Trump signed an executive order banning Syrian refugees and citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued a statement denouncing the ban, which may prevent Oscar-nominated Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi from attending the 89th Academy Awards, where his new drama “The Salesman” is nominated for best foreign language film, according to ISNA.

“The Academy celebrates achievement in the art of filmmaking, which seeks to transcend borders and speak to audiences around the world, regardless of national, ethnic, or religious differences,” an Academy spokesperson said in a statement.

“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.”

Taraneh Alidoosti, the star of “The Salesman,” announced this week that she would be boycotting the Oscars in protest of what she called a “racist” immigration ban.

Asghar Farhadi is a 2017 Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, with his family drama “The Salesman”.

The awards will be held on February 26.