‘Leila’s Brothers’ Filmmakers Jailed In Iran Over Film’s 2022 Cannes Premiere
deadline.comSaeed Roustayi and Javad Noruzbegi, the director-producer duo behind family drama Leila’s Brothers, will see jail time in Iran after premiering the film at last year’s Cannes Film Festival without government approval, according to local media reports.
The duo were on Tuesday found guilty by Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Court of “contributing to propaganda of the opposition against the Islamic system.” They were sentenced to six months in prison, though they will only serve “about nine days,” with the rest of the sentence to be “suspended over five years,” according to Iran’s Etemad.
The verdict can reportedly be appealed, though as things currently stand, the pair will be mandated during the suspension period to refrain from filmmaking-related activities and all contact with industry associates.
For the sake of “preserving national and ethical interests,” per Etemad, they will also be required to take a filmmaking course at the Qom Sound and Vision Academy.
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