Rakhshan Banietemad, internationally acclaimed Iranian film maker has appeared in a video posted in YOUTUBE reading the Iranian Documentary Filmmakers statement. Here is the Cinema Without Borders exclusive English translation of this statement:
“We are documentary filmmakers, our job is to discover and show the facts. You can only show the facts by investigation of all aspects of the subject. In regards to the recent events in our country, the national media (Islamic Republic Radio and Television), by hiding the truth about these events, has made it impossible for society to find the facts.
We are documentary filmmakers and we are part of the media; Islamic Republic Radio and Television (Seda Va Simaye Johorie Eslami Iran) is our national media outlet and it belongs to all fractions of the society. Its function should be reflecting the truth of what is happening and allowing for expressions and impressions from different points of view. Therefore, Iranian Radio and Television must not take side with a certain group and ignore the rest of society.
We are documentary filmmakers, we are artists and we are devoted to our art, culture, and language. The news should use a language that guards its own morals and the ethics of the society. Islamic Republic Radio and Television, by distorting and censoring the news, using humiliating language towards the opposition, and making lying routine, is creating a face-off between different groups of our society. We should offer a warning here that denying the people peaceful speech in regards to their expectations will end up in violent acts.
Our people were promoting their own beliefs before Election Day and now, the continuation of what our “National Media Outlet” is doing holds them responsible in any future instances of violence, massacres, civil unrest and human tragedies. Such acts will divide a society into factions that may stand against each other. During the last 30 years, each and every one of our kind has been sharing each other’s sorrow and happiness—they have fought against enemies and given many sacrifices. We have a long history of many thousands of years and we all share this country and its history; do not divide us.”
This statement has been signed by 112 Iranian Documentary Filmmakers.