Iranian of the Day

CANNES, France (AP) – Though his new film is set outside his native Iran and features a largely French and British cast, Abbas Kiarostami had the Islamic Republic on the brain Tuesday. The celebrated director opened a news conference at the Cannes Film Festival — where his new film "Certified Copy" is in competition — with a plea for the release of detained director Jafar Panahi and a frank discussion of the difficulties of making movies in Iran. "For a long time, the Iranian government has put a spoke in the wheel of independent filmmakers. That's my case and the case of Jafar Panahi," said Kiarostami, who has been making movies for about four decades. Independent directors in Iran "live under constant pressure and cannot do their jobs." >>>



This one shows Binoche crying: