Germany selects Mohammad Rasoulof’s ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ as Oscar Entry
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Loading... - tommy chloe
- 07 Oct 2024
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Germany has officially selected Mohammad Rasoulof's film The Seed of the Sacred Fig as its entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Rasoulof, an acclaimed Iranian filmmaker, shot the film in secret, fearing repercussions from Iranian authorities. He later fled Iran after receiving an eight-year prison sentence due to his critical stance against the regime. Now based in Germany, Rasoulof worked with his German production company Run Way Pictures, in collaboration with France's Parallel45 and Arte France Cinéma.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, where it won the Special Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI award. It later won the Audience Award at the Sydney Film Festival. The film is a psychological drama set in Tehran, following Iman, a judge at the Revolutionary Court who faces mounting paranoia and mistrust as political protests escalate. His suspicions lead him to impose strict measures on his family, heightening tensions at home. The cast includes Misagh Zare, Soheila Golestani, Mahsa Rostami, and Seterah Maleki.
The decision to select Rasoulof's film was made by a nine-member jury under the organization German Films. The jury described the movie as a "psychological portrait of Iran’s theocracy built on violence and paranoia." They expressed their pride in having Rasoulof, who has found refuge in Germany, represent the country at the Oscars.
Rasoulof, along with producers Mani Tilgner, Rozita Hendijanian, and Amin Sadraei, expressed their gratitude for the selection, highlighting the importance of the film’s message of hope and resistance. Alamode will distribute the film in Germany starting on December 26, while Neon will release it in U.S. theaters on November 27.
Germany has a strong history at the Oscars, with a recent nomination for The Teachers' Lounge (2024) and a win for All Quiet On The Western Front in 2023.
