DEC — Iran’s House of Cinema Declared Illegal

DEC 27 — The Iran Public Culture Council ruled that Iran’s House of Cinema was illegal. The decision was made to settle a lawsuit filed in early December against the organization by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

The House of Cinema, which began as a government sponsored initiative becoming independent in 1993, has been criticized a number of times for its positions. A few months earlier, in September, the organization received an official rebuke for its statement about the arrest of six Iranian documentary filmmakers, accused of “collaboration with the BBC Persian service.”

Later, the minister of culture and Islamic guidance questioned the organization’s legitimacy, claiming the real issue was amendments to the House of Cinema’s charter.

“Consequently, the guild faces a serious question about its legitimacy,” stated the culture minister, Mohammad Hosseini.

As a result, a lawsuit was filed by the ministry against the House of Cinema.