Iranian actor Elnaz Shakerdoust quits films over crackdown on protests
What's the story
Elnaz Shakerdoust, a prominent Iranian actor, has announced her decision not to act in Iran anymore. The announcement comes after the recent violent suppression of protests in the country. On her Instagram Story on Monday night, she said that tens of thousands have died in this crackdown and stated that Iran's soil now "smelled of blood."
Festival boycott
'What festival, what celebration can there be?'
Shakerdoust's announcement came just as Iran's major annual film festival, the Fajr Film Festival, was set to begin in Tehran. She declared her intention to boycott the event. "I am in mourning for my dear ones; what festival, what celebration can there be?" "I will participate in no celebration and I will never again play any role on this soil that smells of blood," she wrote.
Death toll
Shakerdoust's claims and festival's continuation
In her post, Shakerdoust claimed that 40,000 people had died in the crackdown on anti-government protests. The US-based HRANA rights group has confirmed 6,854 deaths. However, it and other organizations have warned that the actual death toll could be much higher. Despite this grim reality, the Fajr Film Festival will still go ahead this month.
Career highlights
More on Shakerdoust
Shakerdoust, 41, has been a part of the Iranian film industry for over two decades. She has acted in more than 50 films and won several awards at national film festivals. In 2021, she condemned the murder of a young gay man by his family members in southwestern Iran. Her post had drawn ire from conservatives and was later deleted by order of the judiciary.