The Trump administration signed an executive order on Friday that bars anyone from seven countries from entering the United States for 90 days. The order, titled “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” suspends entry for 120 days for citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia. That includes citizens with prior visas and green cards. While it has already forced some longtime residents to be stuck in other countries, it also appears that it will stop 2017 Academy Award nominee Asghar Farhadi from attending the Oscars next month. Farhadi was invited to join the Academy in 2012 and is believed to be a member.
READ MORE: Asghar Farhadi’s ‘The Salesman’ Is Compelling, But Falls Just Short Of Greatness [Review]
This had been a concern for a couple of days since word of the order leaked, but Trita Parsi, the head of the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Iranian American Council “confirmed” it would affect Farhadi late Friday evening.
Confirmed: Iran's Asghar Farhadi won't be let into the US to attend Oscar's. He's nominated for best foreign language film…#MuslimBan
— Trita Parsi (@tparsi) January 28, 2017
Farhadi was nominated in the Foreign Language Film category for his drama “The Salesman” which premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and was also nominated for a Golden Globe. He previously was nominated for writing the screenplay for “A Separation” which won the Oscar for Foreign Language Film in 2012.
The presidential order does have a clause that notes “the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may, on a case-by-case basis, and when in the national interest, issue visas or other immigration benefits to nationals of countries for which visas and benefits are otherwise blocked.” So, there is some slight hope Farhadi will be able to attend the ceremony.
“The Salesman” was released by Cohen Media Group in the United States in limited release on Friday, Jan. 27.
Representatives for “The Salesman” in the United States responded to inquires with a response of “We have no comment at this time.”
Update: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released the following statement.
“The Academy celebrates achievement in the art of filmmaking, which seeks to transcend borders and speak to audiences around the world, regardless of national, ethnic, or religious differences. As supporters of filmmakers—and the human rights of all people—around the globe, we find it extremely troubling that Asghar Farhadi, the director of the Oscar-winning film from Iran A Separation, along with the cast and crew of this year’s Oscar-nominated film The Salesman, could be barred from entering the country because of their religion or country of origin.”