Iran's Ministry of Guidance is demanding the removal of the names of the director and one of the lead actors from a promotional billboard for a movie amid their public support for ongoing nationwide protests over the government's treatment of women and the lack of freedoms and rights in the country.
Actor Mohsen Tanabandeh and film distributor Mohammad Shayesteh took to Instagram to criticize the ministry's pressure campaign to remove Tanabandeh's photo and the name of the film's director, Homan Seyyedi, from promotional billboards for the movie World War III.
Shayesteh expressed his frustration with the situation in an Instagram post on April 19 saying the ministry initially demanded the removal of Seyyedi's name in exchange for granting a billboard permit.
After complying with the request, the advertising company was then instructed to remove Tanabandeh's photo, leaving only an image of a house on the billboard. Shayesteh sarcastically remarked that it now appeared as if they were advertising real estate instead of a film.
The ministry has yet to comment publicly on the issue.
Tanabandeh, who has expressed support for protesters following the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody in September, reposted Shayesteh's post, criticizing the ministry's policies.
Tanabandeh had previously written in a post following the execution of Iranian protester Mohsen Shekari: "It's an honor to share your name, dear Mohsen."
Shekari was executed after an appeal against his death sentence on a charge of injuring a security officer was rejected by the Supreme Court. Human rights groups said Shekari's sentence was based on a coerced confession after a grossly unfair process and a "sham" trial.
Seyyedi, the director of World War III, has dedicated his Instagram profile picture to Kian Pirfalk, a 9-year-old child killed in recent protests in the city of Izeh.
Seyyedi had previously posted a picture of himself with former President Hassan Rohani with the caption: "This disgrace will never be cleansed from me. I am disgusted with myself for naively taking [what I thought was] a step toward a better tomorrow."
Iran's Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance has taken a hard-line stance against protesting artists, repeatedly threatening them with a work ban because of their support for the demonstrators rallying in support of human rights after the death of the 22-year-old Amini, who was being detained for an alleged violation of the country's head scarf law when she died.
The film World War III has been selected as Iran's submission for the 2023 Oscars, and screenings have already begun in Iranian cinemas.
The movie first premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival in September 2022, before the protests began. It won two awards in the Orizzonti section, including Best Film for Seyyedi and Best Actor for Tanabandeh.