Stars to Protest U.S. Immigration Rules With Screening of Iranian Film
Stars including Keira Knightley and Glenn Close are planning a London screening of the Iranian film The Salesman in protest of America’s new immigration rules.
The Oscar-nominated film’s director Asghar Farhadi announced he won’t be attending the Oscars on February 26, after President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning his countrymen from entering the U.S. for 90 days on Friday.
The Iranian filmmaker, who won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012 and got the nod in the same category this year, will not travel to the ceremony even if he receives an exemption from the rules, which also affect people from six other countries.
Actors and filmmakers including Keira Knightley, Glenn Close, Ridley Scott, Terry Gilliam and Noomi Rapace have written to Grosvenor Square owner Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster for permission to hold a screening of the film in the square, the location of America’s London embassy.
Their letter, obtained by The Guardian, reads, “As an open expression of peaceful civic protest at this critical time, we wish to screen Mr Farhadi’s film in Grosvenor Square; directly opposite the United States embassy building.
“We believe it is our duty as members of the filmmaking community, in a city renowned for its values of tolerance, compassion and multiculturalism to make an important public expression of protest to the United States government that will resonate nationally and globally.”
Trump’s executive order banning people from seven majority Islamic nations from entering America for 90 days sparked protests across America and outrage across the world.
A number of stars including Mahershala Ali, Taraji P. Henson and Julia Louis-Dreyfus used their acceptance speeches at Sunday’s Screen Actors’ Guild Awards to denounce the action.
