Iran bans film festival that had put out a publicity poster featuring an actress not wearing the hijab

Iranian authorities took the decision to ban the 13th edition of the ISFA Film Festival late on Saturday (July 22) because its publicity poster featured an actress without wearing the hijab, as reported by the state news agency IRNA. The ban was ordered by the culture minister himself, citing a violation of the law that requires women to wear the hijab.

The controversial poster, which caused the festival’s ban, showcased actress Susan Taslimi in a still from the 1982 film “The Death of Yazdguerd.” The festival was originally scheduled to take place in September.

The hijab has been a mandatory dress code for all Iranian women since the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution. However, in recent times, there has been a growing defiance of the dress code, especially after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini last year, which triggered widespread protests.

Women have been increasingly flouting the hijab rule, prompting the police to restart patrols to enforce the dress code. In the current climate, such public displays of non-compliance have resulted in legal repercussions, as seen in the case of actress Afsaneh Bayegan. She was sentenced to two years in prison, with the sentence suspended for five years, for wearing a hat and not adhering to the hijab law. The court also ordered her to undergo weekly visits to a psychological center for “having an anti-family personality” and to provide a health certificate after treatment. Moreover, she was banned from using social media and traveling outside the country for two years. Bayegan’s support for the protests following Mahsa Amini’s death likely contributed to her sentencing.

The controversy over the film festival and the strict enforcement of the hijab law reflect the ongoing tensions between traditional values and modern expressions of individual freedom in Iran. The ban on the festival and the legal actions taken against individuals who defy the dress code illustrate the authorities’ efforts to maintain a strict interpretation of Islamic customs and regulations.