Mohammad Rasoulof’s ‘Seed of the Sacred Fig’ draws in a 12 minute standing ovation at Cannes

At the red carpet, Mohammad Rasoulof held pictures of actors Soheila Golestani and Missagh Zareh who were unable to leave Iran to attend the premiere. (Image via X)

Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof’s drama ‘Seed of the Sacred Fig’ earned a rhapsodic standing ovation of 12 minutes making it the longest ovation a film has received at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film about a family in Tehran has automatically become the frontrunner for the Palme d’Or.

The film had its premiere on Friday and Rasoulof put his life in danger to attend the festival after fleeing Iran for Europe on 13 May to evade an 8 year long prison sentence ordered by the Iranian government for making a film that dissents against the government.

Huge Cannes standing ovation for director Mohammad Rasoulof, who shot THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG in secret even as Iran sentenced him to 8 years in prison for his filmmaking. Rasoulof fled the country, arriving in Europe only a few days ago. He’s made a major Palme contender. pic.twitter.com/hvIFxKuf2h

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The official description of the film reads - “The story centers on Iman, an investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, who grapples with mistrust and paranoia as nationwide political protests intensify and his gun mysteriously disappears.”

Rasoulof was seen getting emotional during the rapturous applause that him and his film were receiving. Ali Abbasi, director of ‘The Apprentice’, which is also in competition for the Palme d’Or, stood in front of the Iranian director and gestured to the audience to keep clapping.

There was even a sign in the audience that read - “Femme! Vie! Liberté!” (“Woman! Life! Freedom!”), a symbol of solidarity with Iranian women who are protesting for their fundamental rights.

He thanked the crowd in Farsi, expressing hope for a better future for Iran. He also addressed the fact that many actors of ‘Seed of the Sacred Fig’ were not allowed to attend the Cannes Film Festival. At the red carpet, Mohammad Rasoulof held pictures of actors Soheila Golestani and Missagh Zareh who were unable to leave Iran to attend the premiere.

Rasoulof’s conflict with the Iranian government goes back till 2019. The director was sentenced to prison for 1 year for his film ‘A Man of Integrity’. In 2020, he was accused of ‘anti-government propaganda’ and sentenced to 1 year in jail again.