As the Iranian government grows more repressive of artists, director Mohammed Rasoulof was banned from leaving the country and jailed for a year. “Punishment like Rasoulof’s is an all-too common story in contemporary Iranian cinema, a thriving, internationally respected scene. Yet despite the government’s repressive measures — its approval is required for shoots and screenings — he and other directors have grown more emboldened to speak out, in formal letters, on awards stages, through social media and on film.” – The New York Times