There Is No Evil press conference: Backing Mohammad Rasoulof and the subjectivity of cinema

Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof was represented by a symbolic empty chair at the press conference for There Is No Evil, which was given a competition slot at the 70th Berlinale. Rasoulof has been arrested multiple times and is currently prohibited from leaving Iran – a travel ban which is the result of the concepts expressed in the director’s previous work, A Man of Integrity, which was awarded the Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes. As producer Kaveh Farnam explained: “In September 2017, after he had returned to Iran and his film had been shown several times, Mr Rasoulof was interrogated by security officers and his passport was confiscated.” Describing the director’s current outlook, Farnam continued: “He is very well. He is full of hope, full of energy, and he is very strong.”

Producer Farzad Pak was defiant in his sentiments, pointing out: “All the crew put their heart and soul into it, and we didn’t find any specific reason why Mr Rasoulof was not allowed to make a film. He has the right to make his film, and we will continue this process in the future.”

Kaveh Ahangar tactfully declined to describe There Is No Evil as a political work; the actor said: “The film is not political in nature. All of the episodes depict a certain situation, and all the characters show their own convictions and beliefs; all the consequences emanate from their choices. Some have the ability to say yes, others say no. And I don’t think it’s about triggering a chain reaction, or pretending that a particular choice would be the right choice for everyone. It’s very personal. I don’t think that the film is really about setting off a revolution. After all, this is cinema, and everybody expresses their views differently.”

Oliver Johnston

There Is No Evil does not have a UK release date yet.

Read our review of There Is No Evil here.

Watch the press conference for There Is No Evil here: