Laleh Marzban received the best newcomer award at the Venice Film Festival for her role in “Falling House,” a film directed by Mohsen Gharaei that follows three generations of women restricted by the family patriarch. During her acceptance speech, delivered in Farsi, Marzban dedicated the award to Iranian women struggling for freedom and noted the difficult circumstances facing her country’s population.
The Iranian government responded sharply to the remarks. The Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, a state body appointed by Iran’s supreme leader, issued a statement criticizing Marzban’s comments as presenting a distorted view of Iranian society. Officials characterized her remarks as promoting Western stereotypes rather than fulfilling art’s role as a tool for social awareness. The council referenced the Venice speech without directly naming the actress.
State-affiliated media outlets amplified the criticism in subsequent days. Multiple television personalities and news organizations affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting used harsh language to describe Marzban, with some calling for government action against her. One media figure questioned why Marzban had not instead addressed a 2026 incident involving civilian casualties. A state television religious scholar suggested she had been manipulated by foreign interests, while a student news agency called for the culture ministry to prevent her from working in Iran.
The controversy surrounding Marzban’s remarks paralleled international tensions over another documentary screened at the festival. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to pursue legislation allowing citizenship revocation for individuals he characterized as disparaging Israeli forces, in response to a film addressing civilian casualties in Gaza.
In the film itself, Marzban portrays a young woman attempting to escape her father’s control by pursuing a modeling career abroad. When asked about the film’s potential reception within Iran, she expressed hope that incremental progress toward greater freedoms could continue through individual contributions from various professionals.
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