CFD 25|The Seed of Sacred Fig

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A Close-up of Contemporary World Cinema
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
168', 2024, Iran, Germany, France

The celebration of Iman’s latest promotion as investigating judge in the Revolutionary Guard Court coincide with widespread public protests after the death of a young woman in the streets of Teheran. The demonstrations and the heavy-handed government response upset the dynamics within his family. While Iman is struggling with the psychological burden of his new job, his daughters, Rezvan and Sana, are shocked and electrified by the events, while his wife Najmeh is trying to hold the family together. When Iman discovers that his service weapon has gone missing, he suspects his family. Frightened to lose his reputation and his job, he becomes more and more paranoid, starting an investigation in his own home in which all borders are crossed one by one.

Iranian independent director, writer and producer Mohammad Rasoulof was born in Shiraz, Iran in 1972. While studying Sociology at university, Rasoulof started his filmmaking career with documentaries and short films. His first film Gagooman (The Twilight, 2002) won Best Film at the Fajr Film Festival in Iran. Following the making of his second film, Jazireh Ahani (Iron Island, 2005), he faced some issues with censorship laws in Iran and, as a result, his opportunities to further produce and screen films were largely limited and banned. To this date, Mohammad Rasoulof has produced eight feature films, none of which have been screened in Iran due to censorship, even though his films enjoy a wide audience abroad.

Directed by Mohammad Rasoulof
Screenplay Mohammad Rasoulof
Cinematography Pooyan Aghababaei
Editing Andrew Bird
Art direction Amir Panahifar
Music Karzan Mahmood
Sound design Philipp Kemptner
Cast Misagh Zare, Soheila Golestani, Mahsa Rostami, Setareh Maleki, Niousha Akhshi, Reza Akhlaghi, Shiva Ordooei, Amineh Arani
Producers Mohammad Rasoulof, Amin Sadraei, Jean-Christophe Simon, Mani Tilgner, Rozita Hendijanian
Production companies Run Way Pictures, Parallel45
World sales Films Boutique

Selected Filmography
2024 The seed of the sacred fig
2020 There is no evil
2017 A man of integrity
2013 Manuscripts don’t burn
2011 Goodbye
2009 The white meadows
2008 Head wind
2005 Iron island

Selected Awards
Nominated for Best International Feature Film, Academy Awards, USA, 2025.
Nominated for Best Film not in the English Language, BAFTA Film Awards, 2025.
Jury Special Prize, Cannes Film Festival, France, 2024.
Best Screenplay Award, Silver Hugo, Chicago International Film Festival, USA, 2024.
Best European Film – Audience Award, San Sebastian International Film Festival, Spain, 2024.