A pioneer of Iranian cinema, director Dariush Mehrjui was a major figure in the 7th art, first dubbed by the ayatollahs, then fell into disgrace.
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Iranian police announced Thursday August 19 that they had arrested the “main murderer” director Dariush Mehrjui, stabbed to death along with his wife in circumstances which remain mysterious, according to local media. “The main murderer was identified, among those arrested by the police, following technical examinations and cross-interrogations”, said the police, quoted by the Tasnim news agency. “Interrogations are still ongoing to identify the accomplices and hidden aspects of this murder.”she added.
No details on the murder
Dariush Mehrjui, was stabbed to death at the age of 83, Saturday evening with his wife Vahideh Mohammadifar, a 54-year-old screenwriter, at their home in Karaj, west of the Iranian capital. Police arrested ten people as part of their investigation, according to the judiciary organ Mizan Online, which did not provide details on the circumstances and motives of the double murder.
Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi on Wednesday ruled out any “link between Mehrjui’s murder and serial killings“dissident intellectuals in November 1998 committed by the country’s secret police. These crimes had been attributed by the government to “uncontrolled elements” of the Ministry of Intelligence, who were sentenced to prison terms of up to life.
Tribute to the pioneering filmmaker
Pioneer of the advent of Iranian cinema and author of The cow In 1969, Dariush Mehrjui was a major figure of the 7th art in the country. Besides The cowhe notably carried out Mister naive (1970), The cycle (1974), Tenants (1987), Hamoun (1990), Sarah (1993), Bet (1995) and Leila (1996). These films were screened in 2014, by the Forum des Images in Paris, during a tribute in his presence. Initially dubbed by the ayatollahs’ regime, Dariush Mehrjui quickly fell into disgrace and his films were systematically censored.
Many Iranian filmmakers and artists attended the funeral of Mehrjui and his wife in Tehran on Wednesday October 18, including Jafar Panahi, Massoud Kimiaï, Mohammad Rasoulof and Bahman Farmanara.