Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

British film industry to protest Donald Trump travel ban using Asghar Farhadi's Oscar-nominated film

Signatories include Sir Ridley Scott, Kiera Knightley and Mike Leigh  

Jacob Stolworthy
Wednesday 01 February 2017 13:20 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

British filmmaking and acting talent are attempting to screen the Oscar-nominated film of the director affected by Donald Trump's Muslim ban in London in protest of the President's ruling on Oscars night.

Leading names from the film industry have written to the Duke of Westminster seeking permission to hold a screening of Asghar Farhadi's The Salesman outside the US embassy in Grosvenor Square on 26 February.

Sir Ridley Scott, Kiera Knightley, Glenn Close, Mike Leigh and Clio Barnard are just some of the names to have signed the letter that's been released by The Guardian.

The letter is just another way in which the world has reacted to Trump's ruling that refugees and visa holders from seven predominantly Muslim countries will be unable to enter the country for four months.

Farhadi's film The Salesman is nominated in the Foreign Language category alongside Land of Mine (Denmark), Toni Erdmann (Germany), A Man Called Ove (Sweden) and Tanna (Australia). The film follows a high school teacher (Shahab Hosseini) who seeks revenge against the perpetrator who attacked his wife (Taraneh Alidoosti) in their apartment.

The director made awards history in 2012 when his film A Separation became the first Iranian film to win an Oscar.

Other signatories include Dominic West, Lily Cole and directors Anton Corbijn, Andrea Arnold and Kevin McDonald.

Joanna Natasegara, the producer of Oscar-nominated documentary The White Helmets, has also signed the letter. It was revealed this week that Natasegara was intending to bring the titular anti-Assad political organisation's leader Raed Saleh to the ceremony - as well as cinematographer Khaled Khateeb - but will be unable to due to Trump's ban.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in