2 Iran actresses denied Canada visa to attend ‘Ava’ premiere

A pair of Iranian actors starring in ‘Ava’ are denied entry into Canada to attend world premiere of the film at the 2017 Toronto Film Festival.

The actresses Mahour Jabbari and Shayesteh Sajadi were denied a travel visa by the Canadian government to attend the world premiere of their film at the Toronto event scheduled to take place on September 7.

Director of the film, Sadaf Foroughi, said, “I felt disappointed because I wish I could celebrate our premiere accompanied by my actresses.”

The official government statement addressed to Sajadi read, “You have not satisfied me that you would leave Canada at the end of your stay as a temporary resident. In reaching this decision, I considered several factors, including travel history, family ties in Canada and in country of residence, purpose of visit, current employment situation.”

Jabbari, who plays the lead character in ‘Ava’, had her application denied for similar reasons, saying, “It could have been a great chance to watch our movie with audience, but more important is to have the opportunity to show our movie in such a considerable film festival.”

The Toronto International Film Festival intervened on both Sajadi and Jabbari’s behalf, to no avail, noted Foroughi, who was born in Iran and lives in Canada

‘Ava’ is a joint product of Iran, Canada and Qatar, and Sadaf Foroughi's debut feature film.

The film tells the story of a 17-year-old girl who influences the life of her family, her friends and herself.

The 42nd edition of the Toronto International Film Festival is currently ongoing in Canada and runs until September 17.

The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world.

AI/AG