Iranian directors receive suspended jail terms for film about woman who appears without hijab

PARIS, France — An Iranian court has handed two Iranian film directors suspended jail terms over a film that angered authorities in the Islamic Republic but was acclaimed in Europe and the United States, rights groups say.

Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha were convicted earlier this week by a Revolutionary Court for the film “My Favourite Cake,” the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) and Dadban legal monitor say in separate statements.

The film, which competed at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival and won prizes in Europe and the United States, shows the voyage of discovery of an elderly woman in Tehran who notably appears in the film without the headscarf that is obligatory for women in Iran.

The pair were sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for five years, and a fine on charges of “spreading lies with the intention of disturbing public opinion,” Dadban says.

In addition, they were sentenced to one year in prison, also suspended for five years, and all equipment was ordered confiscated for the charge of “participating in the production of vulgar content.”

Another fine was ordered on the charge of “showing a film without a screening license,” it adds.

“Artists in Iran endure significant hardships, including increasing censorship, arbitrary detentions, and the constant threat of legal repercussions for expressing dissent through their work,” the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran says, commenting on the verdict.