Iranian film A Minor, directed by Dariush Mehrjui, was screened at the competition section of the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on Thursday and Friday. However, the film's producer Reza Dormishian, also a celebrated filmmaker, has been barred by Tehran from travelling to the IFFI, reports Variety.
A Minor tells a story of a woman who is torn between her free-thinking daughter, who wants to study music, and her more conservative husband.
Dormishian is the latest member of Iran's film community to be sanctioned by the Iranian regime for expressing anti-government views. He had been invited by the IFFI to accompany the film. However, the Iranian authorities did not grant him a permit to leave Iran. When Dormishian went to the airport, his passport was confiscated.
It is not clear if Dormishian was arrested or what charges he must answer. The actions against him are understood to be directly connected to his social media commentary about the Iranian government over the last few weeks.
"Throughout the nationwide protests in Iran, Dormishian shared various posts on his Instagram account to show support for the significant developments," Variety reporting, quoting sources close to the director-producer.
Iran is in turmoil following the death in September of a 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in police custody. She had been arrested in Tehran because she allegedly breached the Islamic Republic's strict dress code for women.