The Berlin Film Festival yesterday awarded its grand prize "The Golden Bear" to Iranian director Mohammad Rasulov for his movie "There is no evil" (Thier Is No Eiffel), a sharp critical work that deals with the death penalty in Iran.
And Rasulov, 48, is currently forbidden to travel outside Iran, preventing him from attending the festival and receiving his prize.
"I was hoping that Muhammad was here himself, but unfortunately he is not allowed to leave the country," said producer Farzad Pak, who received the award on his behalf.
"I would like to thank the amazing actors and members of the film crew who risked their lives to be in this film," which was filmed in secret.
Rasulov was sentenced last year to one year in prison and banned from making films for life.
The Variety Film magazine wrote that the film that won the Golden Bear award is "the clearest critical statement yet" issued by Rasulov.
She added that the film is "a series of moral and Kafkawi symbolic tales about the death penalty in Iran and its implementers, and it was made in defiance of the restrictions imposed by the government on him."
The film recounts four frailly interlinked personal stories of executioners and families sentenced to death.
"I am sorry that I will not be able to come to Berlin to watch the movie alongside the audience, yet the right to choose between being present or absent from the festival is simply not mine," Rasulov said in a statement.
The Iranian producer, Cafe Farnham, who addressed the award to the "Golden Bear" award, participated in the award, saying: "I want to ask you to hug Muhammad (...) my teacher and my friend and tell him: Muhammad, you are not alone."