Foreign language film Oscar nominees denounce 'climate of fanaticism'

EghtesadOnline: The five directors nominated for the best foreign-language film Oscar this year released a group statement Friday denouncing “the climate of fanaticism and nationalism we see today in the US and some many other countries."

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26 February 2017

Though they did not mention any leader by name, the directors expressed their "unanimous and emphatic disapproval" of "leading politicians" that they believe influence those attitudes.

The filmmakers, who hail from Denmark, Sweden, Iran, Australia, and Germany, stated that they "refuse to think in terms of borders" and as a result, dedicated the award, regardless of who wins it, to "all the people, artists, journalists and activists who are working to foster unity and understanding, and who uphold freedom of expression and human dignity."

The Oscar will be presented at the Academy Awards on Sunday night, ISNA reported.

"The fear generated by dividing us into genders, colors, religions and sexualities as a means to justify violence destroys the things that we depend on – not only as artists but as humans: the diversity of cultures, the chance to be enriched by something seemingly 'foreign' and the belief that human encounters can change us for the better," they stated. "These divisive walls prevent people from experiencing something simple but fundamental: from discovering that we are all not so different."

Last month, in the wake of President Donald Trump's executive order that banned most travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iran, Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who was nominated in the category for his film "The Salesman," told the New York Times that he would not be attending the awards show.

"We would like to express our unanimous and emphatic disapproval of the climate of fanaticism and nationalism we see today in the U.S. and in so many other countries, in parts of the population and, most unfortunately of all, among leading politicians," said the statement, issued to trade publications Variety and the Hollywood Reporter.