Renowned singer Ed Sheeran and Hollywood actor Scarlett Johansson have been included in TIME Magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Other notable names from the entertainment industry include Demi Moore, Kristen Wiig, and Adam Scott, star of the series “Severance”.

In an interview with AFP, Rasoulof emphasised the irony of the situation. "It is unimaginable that the Islamic Republic could have submitted a film like this for the Academy Awards," he remarked, adding that under Iran's strict regime, such a film would never have been made. Instead, “Sacred Fig”, a suspenseful family drama set against Iran's repressive political climate, is Germany's official Oscar submission.

Rasoulof's film "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" tells the story of a court investigator whose family life is torn apart during Iran's women-led protests.

Director Mohammad Rasoulof announced he had fled his home country just days after being sentenced to eight years in prison on security offenses.

Producers of the film faced harassment from state police, as previously disclosed by Paknia on X, and actors were interrogated and barred from leaving the country.