Berlin

Shortly after the Berlinale invited Jafar Panahi to be on this year's International Jury, he was sentenced to six years in prison and banned from filmmaking for the next 20 years. Ever since, people have been protesting worldwide against this verdict as it violates the right to freedom of opinion and expression in the arts.

The Berlin International Film Festival very strongly condemns the harsh sentences imposed on the distinguished Iranian director Jafar Panahi and his colleague Mohammad Rasoulof. The Berlinale is holding a place open in the Jury for Jafar Panahi to signalize its support for his struggle for freedom.

In 2011, the Berlinale will show five films by Jafar Panahi, one in each of several sections and so call attention to the artist's extraordinary oeuvre, an oeuvre for which he has been sentenced by the Iranian regime. The first of these films will be screen in the Competition section: Offside (2006, Silver Bear) in the Berlinale Palast at 4:30 pm on February 11, 2011. On the following days, the other Panahi films will be presented in the Panorama, Forum, Generation and Berlinale Shorts sections.

Special Jafar Panahi screenings

Offside by Jafar Panahi with Sima Mobarak Shahi, Safar Samandar, Shayesteh Irani, M. Kheyrabadi, Ida Sadeghi. Iran 2005. Competition

Dayereh (The Circle) by Jafar Panahi with Nargess Mamizadeh, Maryiam Palvin Almani, Mojgan Faramarzi, Elham Saboktakin. Iran 2000. Panorama

Talaye sorkh (Crimson Gold) by Jafar Panahi with Hossain Emadeddin, Kamyar Sheisi, Azita Rayeji, Shahram Vaziri. Iran 2003. Forum

Badkonak-e Sefid (The White Balloon) by Jafar Panahi with Aida Mohammadkhani, Mohsen Kafili, Freshteh Sadr Orafai. Iran 1995. Generation

Untying the Knot by Jafar Panahi. Iran 2007. Berlinale Shorts