Any murder is a crime: Iranian filmmaker says at Cannes
What's the story
Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi recently spoke out against the ongoing conflict between Iran, the US, and Israel. Speaking at a press conference for his new film Parallel Tales at the Cannes Film Festival, he said: "Any murder is a crime." Farhadi has been living outside of Iran since 2023 but returned to Tehran last week, where he witnessed "two tragic events."
Details
What Farhadi said about the 'tragic events'
Farhadi described the "two tragic events" as the death of innocent civilians, including children, in the ongoing war and the killing of demonstrators who went to the streets to protest before the war. "These two events are extremely painful and will never be forgotten," he said, via Variety. He also condemned Iran's missile and drone strikes on Israel, expressing empathy for those victims as well.
Statement
He clarified his stance on civilian deaths
Farhadi stressed that expressing outrage over the bombing deaths of civilians does not mean he supports the execution and death of demonstrators. "To feel empathy for people who were killed, shot during demonstrations, doesn't mean you can't feel empathy for those who died because of the bombing," he said. "Any murder is a crime."
Film premiere
More about Farhadi's film 'Parallel Tales'
Farhadi's latest film, Parallel Tales, premiered on Thursday night at Cannes and received a 5.5-minute standing ovation. The French drama stars Isabelle Huppert, Virginie Efira, Vincent Cassel, Adam Bessa, Pierre Niney, and Catherine Deneuve. It follows Sylvie (Huppert), who spies on her neighbors for inspiration for her new novel. When she hires young Adam (Bessa) to help with her daily routine, he unexpectedly turns her life and work upside down.