Organizers of the Toronto film festival, the largest in North America, decried the arrest of six filmmakers in Iran "whose work should be seen and their voices heard."
In a statement, they expressed "deep concern" over the arrest last week of Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, Katayoun Shahabi, Hadi Afarideh, Nasser Saffarian, Shahnama Bazdar and Mohsen Shahrnazdar by Iranian authorities on espionage charges.
Mirtahmasb is the co-director of banned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi's latest film "This Is Not A Film," which was screened earlier this month at the Toronto film festival.
"We are extremely concerned by the arrest of these six filmmakers, whose work should be seen and their voices heard," the organizers said. "Iran's filmmakers (including this group) have long been celebrated as representatives of a rich and vibrant culture.
"Their films have been shown at festivals all over the world, including here in Toronto. Filmmakers must be allowed to express themselves through their films, without fear of reprisal."/-
Source: IINS
