Iranian Director Saeed Roustayi Imprisoned for Cannes Film Screening
Iranian director Saeed Roustayi has been sentenced to six months in prison, with a suspended sentence of five years, for screening his film "Leila's Brothers" at the Cannes Film Festival without authorization. Roustayi and his producer Javad Noruzbegi were found guilty of "contributing to propaganda of the opposition against the Islamic system." The film, which won the FIPRESCI prize, focuses on an Iranian woman navigating corruption and international sanctions. Roustayi's acceptance speech, dedicated to the victims of a tower collapse in Iran, angered authorities who subsequently banned the film in the country. Roustayi and Noruzbegi join a growing list of Iranian filmmakers facing repercussions from the authoritarian regime, including Jafar Panahi and several prominent actresses.