Kristen Stewart Joins Berlin Film Festival Red Carpet Protest Against Iranian Regime
variety.comNick Vivarelli International Correspondent The Berlinale red carpet on Saturday became a protest platform against Iran’s repressive regime when a group of Iranian filmmakers and talents, joined by jury president Kristen Stewart, chanted “Women, Life, Freedom!” and demanded the release of imprisoned journalists and an Iranian rapper.
Actress Golshifteh Farahani, who is also on the jury; “Holy Spider” actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi; and “The Siren” director Sepideh Farsi were among dozens of Iranian film professionals participating in the protests hosted by Berlinale co-directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian.
Protesters with signs demanded freedom for female Iranian journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi who are behind bars, accused of “conspiring against national security” for being the first to report on Mahsa Amini’s death, and for the release of dissident Iranian hip hop artist Toomaj Salehi who has been accused of spreading propaganda and could face the death penalty.
The Berlin red carpet protest was preceded by a panel on “The Role of Cinema and the Arts in the Iranian Revolution” with panelists including Ebrahimi and Farsi who both spoke about their hope that the current wave of protests sparked by the death of Amini, while in police custody for not wearing a head veil properly, could topple the current Iranian regime.
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