Iranian Authorities Pressure ‘Critical Zone’ Director Ali Ahmadzadeh to Pull Out of Locarno Film Festival

variety.com:

Naman Ramachandran Ali Ahmadzadeh, director of Locarno competition title “Critical Zone,” is under threat from Iran’s ministry of security.

The film, shot without Iranian authorities’ permission before the “Woman, Life, Freedom” revolution in Iran, is billed as an artistic reflection on the anger and the rage of the young generation of Iranians. “Guided by the voice of his GPS, Amir navigates the underworld districts of Tehran to comfort the troubled souls of the night,” reads the film’s description in the Locarno program. “Instead of actors, I worked with real people.

In most situations, we had to hide the camera or find complicated tricks to work around the limitations. Making this film was a big rebellion.

Showing it means an even bigger victory for us,” Ahmadzadeh said in his director’s statement. Ahmadzadeh has been under pressure from the security service to show them the film and pull it from Locarno, the filmmakers said, adding that the director has been blocked from getting a visa and banned from leaving Iran by the Iranian authorities.