The Iranian director behind Oscar-nominated film The Salesman told about 10,000 protesters in London that solidarity against Donald Trump’s travel ban holds the power to “stand up to fascism, be victorious in the face of extremism”.
Speaking hours before the Oscars ceremony in Hollywood, Asghar Farhadi said the movement against the US president empowered people to “say no to oppressive political powers everywhere”.
“I am extremely happy that the scattered reactions from people and art communities across the globe shown to the oppressive travel ban of immigrants has developed into a powerful and unified movement,” he told the protest on Sunday night.
“This solidarity is off to a great start. I hope this movement will continue and spread for it has within itself the power to stand up to fascism, be victorious in the face of extremism and say no to oppressive political powers everywhere.”
Appearing via videolink from Tehran, and joined by London mayor Sadiq Khan and Palme d’Or winner Mike Leigh, Farhadi said: “We are all citizens of the world and I will endeavour to protect and spread this unity.”
The London screening of The Salesman on Sunday evening wasintended to be a show of unity and strength against Trump’s travel ban, which attempted to block arrivals in the US from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
Khan organised the screening with actor and model Lily Cole, producer Kate Wilson and film-maker Mark Donne to coincide with the Oscars and “celebrate the capital’s success as a creative hub and beacon for openness and diversity”.
“President Trump can’t silence me,” Khan said, to rapturous applause. “As I look around Trafalgar Square, I am proud and you should be proud, too, because here today we have men and women, old and young, rich and poor, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists … we have people from all around the world and the key message we send to the world is London is open.
“We stand in solidarity with Asghar Farhadi. We stand in solidarity with all those who are discriminated against because of their nationality, faith or background. We don’t just tolerate difference. We respect it, we celebrate it, and we embrace it.”
His decision to transform Trafalgar Square into London’s biggest outdoor cinema came after actors and film-makers, including Julie Christie, Kevin Macdonald, Keira Knightley, Ridley Scott and Terry Gilliam sought permission to hold a screening outside the US embassy.
Leigh said: “This event is by way of a protest and a very serious one. It’s very much a celebration, too. Our protest is against President Trump’s cynical, divisive and destructive policies, especially his unforgivable travel ban. It’s hard just to say President Trump and not add adjectives and pejoratives, but we are here to celebrate our great multicultural and cosmopolitan city.”Among the crowd who had gathered in Trafalgar Square, Abbas Faiz, an Iranian independent human rights consultant, said: “I feel great to be able to be part of this crowd, this gathering, because it gives me a feeling of really belonging, that this is my city and this is the city that I can also express my identity not as just someone living in London, but also as an Iranian.
“This is a unique gathering, it’s film, it’s art, it shows the power of art that it’s so potent, it can bring so many people. I can look around and I can see thousands of people, gathering for something very positive that something that really matters in this world, the message behind this gathering is really beautiful message. So many people in this world would not accept the negative and poisonous propaganda that is coming out from the new administration from the United States.”
Afsaneh Gitiforooz, an Iranian psychologist, added: “Today the art is winning. It’s winning because it has a message, the message of this crowd is bigger than any statement or signature that someone like Trump can sign.”
The Salesman is nominated for best foreign language film at the Oscars and stars Taraneh Alidoosti and Shahab Hosseini, who was named best actor at Cannes last year, where the film won best screenplay.
Alidoosti vowed to boycott the Oscars ceremony. Farhadi, who won a best foreign language film Oscar for A Separation in 2012, said he would not attend, in solidarity with all those who had been affected by the travel ban – even if he were offered special dispensation. The director said the Trafalgar Square screening was “symbolic of unity against the division and separation of people”.
Trump’s executive order, now blocked by US courts, was roundly condemned by the United Nations, and human rights groups including the International Rescue Committee and Amnesty International.
Sunday’s academy awards are tipped to be the most political in recent memory, with winners and presenters expected to speak out against the Trump administration.
Khaleb Khatib, the cinematographer behind Netflix’s The White Helmets, nominated for the documentary short award, said on Saturday that he had been blocked from entering the US by the Department of Homeland Security and would miss the Oscars ceremony.
The Associated Press reported that US officials found “derogatory information” against the 21-year-old cameraman before his flight from Istanbul to Los Angeles.
“After 3days at airport, not allowed to travel to #oscars2017 – had US visa – but passport not accepted,” Khatib tweeted. “Sad, but important work to do here.”
On Friday, the six directors in the running for this year’s foreign language Oscar issued a joint statement blaming “leading politicians” for creating “divisive walls”.
The statement was signed by Farhadi as well as Martin Zandvliet, director of Denmark’s Land of Mine, Hannes Holm, director of Sweden’s A Man Called Ove, Maren Ade, director of Germany’s Toni Erdmann, and Martin Butler and Bentley Dean, joint directors of Australia’s Tanna.
It said: “On behalf of all nominees, we would like to express our unanimous and emphatic disapproval of the climate of fanaticism and nationalism we see today in the US and in so many other countries, in parts of the population and, mostly and unfortunately of all, among leading politicians.”
Regardless of who wins the Oscar “we believe there is no best country, best gender, best religion or best colour,” the directors added. “We want this award to stand as a symbol of unity between nations and the freedom of the arts.”
