DEFC resumes “Laleh” production

TEHRAN,Jan.7(MNA) -- Iran’s Documentary and Experimental Film Center (DEFC) has recently resumed production of “Laleh”, a controversial movie project about the first Iranian female race car driver, Laleh Seddiq. This report was announced by stage designer Iraj Raminfar as the DEFC has tried to prevent any news about the film from leaking out. He refused to give further details about the new stage of production. Production of the film had been stopped in early December after certain Canadian and the U.S. film companies withdrew from the project due to the domestic controversies over the film and the international sanctions against Iran. Afterwards, the DEFC began seeking support from companies in neighboring countries to cover part of the cost for project, which has been estimated at about 80 billion rials (over $2.8 million). All members of the crew collectively pulled out of the project in October over “disagreement, lack of progress in the project and an uncertain future for the production of the film”. The film project, which is also being supported by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and the Iran Cinema Organization, provoked backbench opposition. The Majlis Cultural Committee had raised objections to the film project over the allegedly “feministic tendencies in the film and its patriarchal image of Iranian society with ceaseless fighting between men and women.” They also complained about the background of Asadollah Niknejad, a U.S.-based Iranian filmmaker who is to direct the project. Afterwards, Iran Cinema Organization announced that production of the film had been stopped due to lack of funds and that the film project no longer was a high priority for the organization.