by Stefano Montefiori
The diva, who lives in exile in Paris, acts as a mouthpiece for the protests: “It was a carnal decision. I don’t think this has ever happened before in human history: women making the revolution and men taking their side. It is extraordinary”
When Golshifteh Farahani was born in 1983, the Islamic revolution had already changed Iran four years earlier, “and like all women who were born under this fascist dictatorship, the mullahs’ regime, I felt like I was falling out of the womb of my Having died in the womb mother on the battlefield. Being a woman in Iran is an everyday struggle, there is no respite.”
A fugitive in Paris since 2008 when a judge gave her 24 hours to evade the secret services, Farahani has become a great actress with international success. Mahsa Amini’s death on September 16 made her one of the most followed voices in support of the uprising, from her Instagram account with 15 million followers to Coldplay’s stage performance in Buenos Aires on October 28 to sing Barave, the protesters’ anthem .
In the last three months, her Instagram has been filled with news and pictures from Iran, the posts have almost 300 million views, becoming a key medium to follow the revolt. Are you aware of this?
“His words move me because every time I post something I ask myself if it makes sense … Everyone has their own existential crises. But maybe I’m right. In recent years, I have been rather cautious about Iran.”
And why did he choose to break that reserve instead this time?
“It wasn’t even a reasoned decision, it was a carnal decision. I didn’t make up my mind, it was the body that went ahead and began writing and denouncing the horrors of dictatorship. Too much pain, too bad. One begins to suffer and suffer immediately, from birth it is a continuous accumulation. At some point it is no longer possible to endure injustice. The girls demonstrating in Tehran and other cities know they are risking their lives, but they can’t stop, they can’t. They are warriors without knowing it because they have always fought. Iran is like an instrument on which a great dampener has been put, whose voice has been suppressed for decades and now wants to be heard. We have all become activists, even me as an actress. We have no choice, he is stronger than us.”
What do you think of the fact that so many men have joined the revolt started by women?
“I think it’s never been seen in human history. Women making the revolution and men taking their side. We’ve never had so much support, it’s extraordinary. When the regime introduced the obligation to wear the veil a year after taking power, nobody rebelled. My father didn’t go out on the streets then, and everyone else liked him. Today it’s completely different, men stand up for their sisters, mothers, daughters. Without the recognition of women’s rights, there will be no rights for anyone”.
Why is the Islamic veil so important?
“It is the symbol of tyranny. The regime is built on the subjugation of women: the veil also evokes that a man can marry a thirteen-year-old girl, always have custody of the children in the event of a divorce, deny his wife the right to enter or leave the village . The veil is just the top of the pyramid, taking it off means fighting for the freedom of everyone, including men».
Thanks to the revolt, the West is beginning to get to know Iranian society better, less enslaved by anti-Western and anti-American propaganda than one might have imagined.
“I think this process of opening up and getting to know Iran started with Abbas Kiarostami’s films, and it’s certainly easier now with the internet and social media. Maybe the world can see why the regime is still in power despite being hated by 90 percent of the population.”
A few days ago, the “Corriere” published a shocking report on Iranian prisons.
“The torture and violence my people are subjected to is unimaginable. Repression is ruthless, power is in the hands of monsters. Now the UN Human Rights Council has launched an inquiry into Iran’s repression, but what else is there to know? What other acts of violence need to be identified?”.
What do you expect for the coming months?
“We know that a revolution is a marathon, we cannot overthrow a regime in a few months. It does not matter. It’s a matter of perseverance. We will not stop”.
Repression inside the country is fierce, but Tehran’s agents are also active outside. Isn’t she scared?
“The bodyguards follow me on set when I act, they are in contact with the French authorities to update me on my movements. We’re all a little scared. Me and my family too, of course. Let’s try to be careful and move forward.”
December 24, 2022 (Modification December 24, 2022 | 07:25)
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