US Writers Guild voices support for filmmaker Asghar Farhadi

The Writers Guild of America voices support for Iran director Asghar Farhadi who declined an invitation to the Oscar ceremony over the Trump visa ban.

The Writers Guild of America released a statement on Sunday in support of the Iranian filmmaker, whose film ‘The Salesman’ was nominated for best foreign language film Oscar, calling US President Donald Trump’s travel ban both “unconstitutional” and “deeply wrong.”

“It is both unconstitutional and deeply wrong to say that you cannot enter our country because of where you were born or what religion you were born into,” Michael Winship and Howard A. Rodman — the presidents of the Writers Guild of America East and West, respectively – wrote in the statement.

Trump recently signed an executive order to ban the entry of citizens from seven mainly Muslim nations.

“The Writers Guilds of America, East and West condemn Donald Trump’s profoundly un-American ‘Muslim ban,’ and applaud the Federal Court’s decision to grant a stay that will keep those being held at American airports from being forcibly returned to their countries. Human rights — including the freedoms of speech and religion — are essential to all Americans and to all who come here to build better lives,” the statement continued.

Iranian director Asghar Farhadi said he decided not to attend the Academy Awards Ceremony despite the nomination of his highly-acclaimed film, ‘The Salesman’.

Farhadi previously won an Oscar for ‘A Separation’ in 2011.

AI/AG