Filmmakers in Iran are confronting the Iranian regime through cinema. Terrestrial Verses, directed by Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami, is a densely poetic film about Iranian political life and how the regime maintains control: through performance.
After the release of the critically-acclaimed film The Swimmers, the Mardini sisters were lauded across Europe for their bravery. Long Distance Swimmer picks up on their story and shows how after press subsided little has been done to help migrants.
For the new head of the International Organisation for Migration, a body that has served the interests of donors and assisted with deportations, the challenge is whether it can finally stand with migrants over states, writes Tiara Sahar Ataii.
Post-sanctions, Iranian cinema often falls into the trap of trauma and hopelessness. Hassan Nazer's third film Winners bucks this trend, returns Iranian film back to its creative roots and suggests a more optimistic future for the country's youth.
Film review: Despite its Oscar nomination, Cyrus Neshvad's The Red Suitcase fails to live up to expectations. Filmed with largely a Western eye in mind, The Red Suitcase pales in comparison with other Iranian cinematic offerings.
Film review: A cinematic swipe at the Iranian regime, Holy Spider displays the hypocrisy of life under a theocracy. Naturally controversial, the film nonetheless fleshes out elements of dissent which are gaining traction in Iran and the diaspora.
In-depth: Following a series of scandals that led to the resignation of his predecessor, the new director faces mounting pressure regarding the EU border agency's role in pushbacks and human rights violations.
In-depth: The recent trial of 24 search and rescue workers in Greece, during which some of the charges were dropped, represents a small victory in a much larger fight against the EU's attempts to criminalise solidarity with asylum seekers.
In-depth: Viewed as targets for deportation rather than claimants of asylum, Sub-Saharan African migrants find themselves at a crossroads of racial profiling, police brutality, and violent pushbacks.
In-depth: Once focused on protecting fundamental rights, the European Court of Human Rights has increasingly become concerned with state sovereignty. The consequences of prioritising borders above human life will be detrimental to all.
