In February this year, Panahi was released on bail after seven months in prison and after going on hunger strike against the “illegal and inhumane treatment” of the Iranian justice system.
The 62-year-old Panahi, who is one of Iran’s most awarded filmmakers, was arrested last July and put in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison to serve a six-year sentence for “propaganda against the system” – a sentence handed down back in 2010.
Panahi was also banned from both leaving Iran and making films. Despite that, he has continued with filmmaking and his latest film “No bears” was awarded the jury’s special prize at the Venice Film Festival last fall. According to The Guardian there is speculation that Jafar Panahi will now be part of the jury at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.