Martin Scorsese supports imprisoned Iranian filmmaker for Cannes screening

Iranian filmmaker Saeed Roustayi and producer Javad Norouzbeigi have been sentenced to six months in prison by Tehran's Revolutionary Court for showcasing their film "Leila's Brothers" at the Cannes Film Festival without government approval. The film, which focuses on a family struggling amidst Iran's economic crisis and depicts protests and security force crackdowns, won two awards at Cannes but was not nominated for the Oscars by Iranian authorities. The court accused the filmmakers of creating "propaganda against the system" and seeking fame to intensify the media battle against Iran's religious sovereignty. The sentence includes a ban on filmmaking and communication with others in the field, as well as a mandatory filmmaking course. The international reaction against the sentence has been swift, with director Martin Scorsese and the Biarritz International Film Festival criticizing the decision. Iranian filmmakers and actors have long faced government pressure, and the sentencing has sparked anger within Iran as well.