BERLIN (AP) — The daughter of a top adviser to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has applied for asylum in Germany, organizers of a film festival that she was attending said Tuesday.
Narges Kalhor, the daughter of Ahmadinejad’s adviser on cultural and media affairs, submitted her asylum application to authorities in southern Germany, Nuremberg Human Rights Film Festival spokesman Matthias Rued said.
Her father, Mahdi Kalhor, has been seen as a close ally of Ahmadinejad since early this decade.
In an interview with fellow Iranian filmmaker Hana Makhmalbaf posted on YouTube on Monday, Narges Kalhor said she did not believe her father knew about her plans.
“I’m certain he hasn’t seen my film or know about this festival or where I am,” she said. “I came from my own desire, for cinema, and I have to continue.”
Narges Kalhor had been at the Nuremberg festival to present her film “Darkhish,” or “The Rake,” which condemns the use of torture and the barbarity of totalitarianism.
Mahdi Kalhor told Iran’s official IRNA news agency that he knew nothing about details of his daughter’s films or her plans to leave the country.
He blamed the Iranian opposition for supporting her attempts to challenge the government.
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