Following the news that “The Salesman” director Asghar Farhadi could be barred from attending the Oscars this year because of Donald Trump’s Muslim ban, the American Film Institute has issued a statement calling the restriction of travel “to be against all values we cherish as a community of storytellers.”
“Asghar Farhadi has served as Artist-in-Residence for the past two years at the AFI Conservatory, and his classes had a profound impact upon the 250 young men and women who attend AFI from around the world,” read the statement. “The AFI Conservatory stands with artists and filmmakers who find the power of creation through freedom of expression and freedom of movement. We believe any form of censorship — including the restriction of travel — to be against all values we cherish as a community of storytellers. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Farhadi back to AFI in the fall.”
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order to ban citizens from seven mostly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days — and refugees for 120 days. This could affect the Iranian filmmaker’s ability to attend the Oscars this year — he is nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category. In a tweet sent late Friday, Trita Parsi of the National Iranian American Council said he “confirmed” that Farhadi “won’t be let into the US to attend Oscar’s” due to the new order.
On Sunday, the director decided not to attend next month’s Academy Award ceremony, even if granted permission.
“It now seems that the possibility of this presence is being accompanied by ifs and buts which are in no way acceptable to me even if exceptions were to be made for my trip,” Farhadi’s statement read. “I would therefore like to convey via this statement what I would have expressed to the press were I to travel to the United States.”
Trump’s executive order does allow for exceptions, noting that “the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may, on a case-by-case basis, and when in the national interest, issue visas or other immigration benefits to nationals of countries for which visas and benefits are otherwise blocked.”
On Sunday, the Writers Guild of America also weighed in on the travel ban, calling it “profoundly un-American.”
“We are especially troubled by reports that Asghar Farhadi, director of ‘The Salesman,’ which won Best Screenplay at Cannes and is now nominated for an Oscar, may together with his cast and crew be prevented from entering our country,” read the statement. “From its early days, the entertainment industry has been built by the imagination of immigrants. Our guilds are unions of storytellers who have always welcomed those from other nations, and of varying beliefs, who wish to share their creativity with America. We are grateful to them, we stand with them, we will fight for them.”