Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi calls on Academy to support Mahsa Amini protests

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Iran to demand justice for Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was arrested after being arrested for not covering her hair. Her death, which her father said was the result of a beating in police custody, sparked outrage across the country, with many Iranian women cutting their hair and burning their hijabs in protest. To date, 17 people have died in the protests, which continue to rage in more than a dozen cities across the country.

Now one of Iran's top filmmakers is using his platform to draw attention to the issue. Bahman Ghobadi, the acclaimed director of Iranian new wave films such as 'Turtles Can Fly' and 'A Time for Drunken Horses' has released an open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences encouraging the institution to promote protests and stand with the Iranian people.

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“As a member of your prestigious Academy, it would be great if you would pass on this message to all other members of the Academy,” Ghobadi wrote. “You have certainly heard of what is happening in Iran. The Iranian regime recently killed a young woman named Mahsa Amini for not wearing her headscarf "correctly". The Iranian people took to the streets to protest against the regime. We, my people and I need your support to spread this news and support the people of Iran and their legitimate protests. We need your support more than ever. Please help us spread the word."

The role the Academy should play in promoting justice in the world has been a topic of frequent debate within the film community.

When Russia invaded Ukraine ahead of the 2022 Oscars, many pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to speak at the ceremony. Sean Penn even threatened to melt down his Oscars if Zelensky wasn't invited. Although no such appearance took place, the show dedicated a moment of silence to the war effort in Ukraine and the Academy expressed its support for Ukrainian independence. p>

IndieWire has reached out to the Academy for comment.

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