Iran cancels film festival due to poster of actress without hijab

According to the nation’s state-run media source, IRNA, Iranian authorities have banned a film festival because a promotional brochure included an actress who was not donning the hijab, a headcover worn by many Muslim women. As reported by IRNA, Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance judged the festival’s poster offensive and ordered its 13th […]

According to the nation’s state-run media source, IRNA, Iranian authorities have banned a film festival because a promotional brochure included an actress who was not donning the hijab, a headcover worn by many Muslim women.

As reported by IRNA, Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance judged the festival’s poster offensive and ordered its 13th edition to be cancelled.

The ministry’s spokeswoman, Mohammad Mehdi Samoui, said in a statement, “The minister of culture and Islamic guidance has personally issued an order to ban the 13th edition of the ISFA Film Festival, after using a photo of a woman without a hijab on its poster in violation of the law,”

Last year, women burned hijabs and chopped off their hair during large-scale demonstrations across Iran in opposition to the required headgear.

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The demonstrations started after Mahsa Amini died after being detained by Iran’s morality police for not donning the hijab in accordance with rules set by the government. Mahsa was 22 years old.