Jafar Panahi, the director of such masterpieces as The White Balloon, The Circle, is expected tomorrow, Thursday, at the Venice Film Festival for a meeting and for the presentation of his short film "The Accordion" but he still has no passport. If he cannot leave, he says speaking to the Italian press, "I will send a statement." The film "The Accordion", produced by Art for the World, the association founded by Adelina von Furstenberg defending cultural diversity, is a short film that is part of a larger film, "Then and Now Beyond Borders and Differences" signed by directors of five continents which deal with Article 18 of the Declaration of Human Rights. Panahi is the right person to be involved in such a film. Arrested in March on charges of shooting a film about anti-government protests, was released on bail in May. In a month he will go on trial: he has the support of actors and directors from all over the world who already had signed in March an appeal for his release.
A chain of solidarity that today is moving for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the Iranian woman sentenced to stoning for adultery. "I can not evaluate the real result of this solidarity on the authorities. I am against any killing. You cannot kill anyone. I hope so heavy sentences are reviewed." he said.
Agreeing that in his case international solidarity had an impact, Panahi says that "the international appeals have played an important role in public opinion that Iran has begun to ask what was my fault. But they have also shown that cinema has enormous power, that we artists are a community, we mobilize if any of us, anywhere in the world is deprived of his rights. And this art community is stronger than politicians."
Speaking about the short he will present in Venice he says that "this is the story of two children playing on the road to make a living. But such a day arrives when someone steals their instruments. The children, following the sound of music, found the man playing in the street asking for money. They join him. This story to me show the necessity of non-violence, the need to live peacefully among opposites. "It's a hope. - he says - The important thing in the film is the choice for children not to use violence against the man who stole their instruments, but to share the profits with him. It is a positive vision for the new generations."
The Iranian authorities have not given Panahi the passport to go to Venice. He says that he does not know why they don't allow him out and adds that "I don't want to leave Iran not to go back. I love living in Iran and make films here because I take my inspiration from people. In a month I'll know if I should go to prison or if I'm free, but if I can not do my job for me there is no difference between going to jail or stay out."
