My films reflect my commitment to portraying a realistic image of the era in which I live, despite the extensive censorship and repression in Iran. — Mohammad Rasoulof*
Shot in secret and made under extreme duress—its creator hit with the announcement of a prison and flogging sentence during its very production—THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG has, in a sense, escaped the shackles of its context and is free in the world, making its Los Angeles debut at the 2024 AFI Fest, presented by Canva.
A world-class thriller set amid the most recent waves of protest against Iran’s hard-line regime, the award-winning film outlines a generational clash within a middle-class family, when the consequences of the patriarch’s promotion to judicial inspector—the person who signs off on death sentences—greatly complicates his relationships with his wife and daughters.
Screening twice at AFI Fest 2024, tickets—if available—will be sold on the rush line only. See info and links below.
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG
Written and directed by Mohammad Rasoulof
AFI Fest presented by Canva
Wednesday, October 23, at 8:45 pm
Sunday, October 27, at 8:15 pm
Chinese 6 Theatres
6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles
Rush line only
fest.afi.com/2024/the-seed-of-the-sacred-fig/
*Nick Vivarelli, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig Director Mohammad Rasoulof on Current State of Iran: ‘The Islamic Republic Is Vulnerable and Unstable,’” Variety, August 10, 2024.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024), written and directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, from top: Misagh Zare; Mahsa Rostami (left) and Soheila Golestani; The Seed of the Sacred Fig U.S. poster; Rostami and Setareh Maleki (right); Golestani, Rostami, and Maleki.
Images courtesy and © the actors, the filmmaker, and Neon.