In this Feb. 26 file photo, Asghar Farhadi poses with the Oscar for best foreign language film for “A Separation” during the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood. (AP-Yonhap News)
TEHRAN (AFP) ― A Tehran ceremony to hail Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s Oscar win for his movie “A Separation” has been cancelled by authorities, media reported on Monday without giving an explanation.
The Centre for Directors and the Supreme Council for Iranian Filmmakers issued a joint statement to Farhadi saying “we were planning a simple and sincere ceremony for you to honour your great achievement for Iranian cinema, but we cannot hold it,” according to the ISNA news agency.
The two bodies said officials scrapped the event but did not say why.
The ministry of culture and Islamic guidance told ISNA it had no information about the ceremony.
Farhadi arrived back in Tehran on Saturday with the Oscar trophy he won last month for his film.
The official IRNA news agency quoted him as saying “I will never emigrate from Iran,” but adding that he was about to make his next movie abroad.
Iran’s authorities briefly suspended filming of “A Separation” in 2010 after Farhadi voiced support for fellow filmmakers deemed “dissidents.”
They later backed Farhadi’s acclaimed movie at the Oscars, but gave only a muted response to its win in the best foreign-language category.
