Iranian Canadian director prevented from leaving Tehran to attend London movie fest

MONTREAL — An Iranian-Canadian director says he was unable to attend a movie competition in London Friday as Iranian authorities prevented his departure.

Director Mani Haghighi mentioned in an Instagram video that he was unable to attend a screening of his movie on the London Movie Competition as a result of Iranian authorities stopped him from boarding his flight in Tehran and later confiscated his passport.

The British Movie Institute mentioned in an announcement that Haghighi was as a consequence of attend the competition along with his movie “Subtraction,” which debuted on the Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition final month.

Whereas selling the movie, Haghighi instructed Selection his Iranian-Canadian id was essential to him. Haghighi attended faculty in Ontario and Quebec, and he instructed the leisure publication he nonetheless has shut buddies in Canada.

In his video message, Haghighi mentioned he was given no cheap rationalization by authorities for the confiscation.

Two weeks earlier, Haghighi posted a video criticizing Iran’s obligatory hijab legislation and crackdown on youth protesters.

The London Movie Competition mentioned it helps Haghighi and all filmmakers of their freedom to current their movies around the globe.

Haghighi couldn’t be reached for remark, and World Affairs Canada didn’t instantly reply to questions in regards to the director’s scenario or the standing of his Canadian documentation.