Statement by Iranian women filmmakers against sexual harassment

According to Fars News Agency’s cinema correspondent, it was last week that cinema assistant and programmer Somayeh Mirshamsi exposed the inappropriate behavior of a male actor and the problems of women behind the scenes of film productions. The revelation prompted a group of women filmmakers to issue statements protesting violence against women in the field.

In this statement, which was signed by a group of women filmmakers, including Niki Karimi, Hedyeh Tehrani, Taraneh Alidosti, Ehteram Boroumand, Pouran Derakhshandeh, Aida Panahandeh, Tina Pakravan, Nasim Adabi, Shabnam Gholikhani, Mastaneh Mohajer, Sahar Dolatshahi, Parinaz ایزدیارGalareh Abbasi, Hanieh Tavassoli, Negar Javaherian, Sara Bahrami, Elham KurdsNarges Abyar, Hoda Zeinat Al-Abedin, Setareh Eskandari, Melika شریفی‌نیا و PantheonIn recent months, women in the context of their efforts in a movement against sexual violence have published stories of harassment and abuse of women in the cinema. Reports show that every person with power and reputation in the mechanism of Iranian cinema exploits his position to bully, threaten, insult, humiliate and assault women. Without forcing legal institutions, cinemas, filmmakers and critics to be held accountable for their work.

“We, the women filmmakers, here in solidarity, declare: We condemn all acts of violence, harassment and sexual blackmail in the workplace, and we call for serious legal consequences for the perpetrators to stop it.” We also condemn the gender inequality in Iranian cinema and the lack of oversight that has opened the door to the greed and ambition of individuals in power. We warn the Iranian cinema community about the extent of these abuses against women; Harassments that, despite being obvious, have been ignored all these years. In the narratives of the painful experiences of women published in Iranian cinema, the types of harassment that fall under the umbrella of sexual violence are discussed; Including defamation with sexually explicit words, abuse of silence and tolerance of people being held hostage to work and wages, sexual violence by threatening the victim’s job, unwanted physical contact, coercion and sexual violence, and finally physical violence. And rape.

Another part of the statement by women filmmakers against sexual harassment states: What is clear is the systematic nature of the violence. Not only is there no mechanism to deter the person in power from committing violence, but in an unwritten agreement violence against women in the workplace is normalized and there are no serious consequences for the abuser and the perpetrators of the reputation and prestige gained by their supporters. Come on, have no fear of losing these crimes.

The full text of the statement and the names of its signatories are as follows:

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