Executive director of the Flaherty Film Seminars, Mary Kerr, just sent the following letter from filmmaker, Bahman Ghobadi, regarding the arrest, trial and conviction of his fiancée, journalist Roxana Saberi. Saberi was charged by Iranian authorities with espionage on behalf of the United States.
At last year's Flaherty, which I attended as a Fellow, we participants were privileged to have two conversations via Skype with Ghobadi who was one of the featured artists that year. Saberi sat beside him as his translator (pictured). Ghobadi did not appear in person only because he had not been given permission to travel to the United States. All of us agreed that it was one of the most extraordinary experiences we had there, one among many.
A website has been set up to campaign for her release and includes up-to-date information on the situation. I would like to also share the open letter from Ghobadi which he wrote following Roxana's conviction:
"To Roxana Saberi, Iranian with an
American passport"
If I kept quiet until now, it was for
her sake. If today I speak, it is for her sake.
She is my friend, my fiancée, and my
companion. An intelligent and talented young
woman, whom I have always admired.
It was the 31st of January. The day
of my birthday. That morning, she called to
say she would pick me up so we would go out
together. She never came. I called on her
mobile, but it was off, and for two-three
days I had no idea what had happened to her.
I went to her apartment, and since we had
each other's keys, I went in, but she wasn't
there. Two days later, she called and said:
"Forgive me my dear; I had to go to Zahedan."
I got angry: why hadn't she said anything to
me? I told her I didn't believe her, and
again she said: "Forgive me my dear, I had to
go." And the line was cut. I waited for her
to call back. But she didn't call back. She
didn't call back.
I left for Zahedan. I looked for her
in every hotel, but nobody had ever heard her
name. For ten days, thousands of wild
thoughts came to my mind. Until I learned,
through her father, she had been arrested. I
thought it was a joke.
I thought it was a misunderstanding and
that she would be released after two or three
days. But days went by and I had no news from
her. I started to worry and knocked on every
door for help, until I understood what had
happened.
It is with tears in my eyes that I
say she is innocent and guiltless. It is me,
who has known her for years, and shared every
moment with her, who declares it. She was
always busy reading and doing her research.
Nothing else. During all these years I've
known her, she wouldn't go anywhere without
letting me know, nor would do anything
without asking my advice. To her friends, her
family, everyone that surrounded her, she had
given no signs of unreasonable behavior. How
come someone who would spend days without
going out of her apartment, except to see me;
someone who, like a Japanese lady, would
carefully spend her money, and had sometimes
trouble making a living; someone who was
looking for a sponsor to get in contact with
a local publisher so her book would be
printed here (in Iran); could now be charged
with a spying accusation?! We all know - no,
we have all seen in movies - that spies are
malicious and sneaky, that they peep around
for information, and that they are very well
paid.
And now my heart is full of sorrow. Because
it is me who incited her to stay here. And
now I can't do anything for her. Roxana
wanted to leave Iran. I kept her from it.
At the beginning of our relationship,
she wanted to go back to the United States.
She would have liked us to go together. But I
insisted for her to stay until my new film
was over. She really wanted to leave Iran.
And I kept her from it. And now I am
devastated, for it is because of me she has
been subject to these events. These past
years, I have been subject to a serious
depression. Why? Because my movie had been
banned, and released on the black market. My
next movie was not given an authorization,
and I was forced to stay at home. If I've
been able to stand it until today, it is
thanks to the presence and help that she
provided me.
Since I had no authorization for my last
movie, I was nervous and ill-tempered. And
she was always there to calm me down.
Roxana wanted to leave Iran. I kept
her from it. She is the one who took care of
me while I was depressed. Then I convinced
her to stay, I wanted her to write the book
she had started in her head. I accompanied
her, and thanks to my friends and contacts, I
knocked on every door and was able to set up
meetings with filmmakers, artists,
sociologists, politicians, and others. I would
go with her myself.
She was absorbed by her book, to the point
that she could stay and bear it all, until my
film would be finished, and we would leave
together.
Roxana's book was a praise to Iran.
The manuscripts exist, and it will certainly
be published one day, and all will see it.
But why have they said nothing? All those who
have talked, worked and sat with her, and who
know how guiltless she is.
I am writing this letter for I am
worried about her. I am worried about her
health. I heard she was depressed and cried
all the time. She is very sensitive. To the
point she refuses to touch her food. My
letter is a desperate call to all statesmen
and politicians, and to all those who can do
something to help. From the other side of the
ocean, the Americans have protested against
her imprisonment, because she is an American
citizen. But I say no, she is Iranian, and
she loves Iran. I beg you, let her go! I beg
you not to throw her in the midst of your
political games! She is too weak and too pure
to take part in your games. Let me be present
at her trial, sit next to her wise father and
gentle mother, and testify she is without
guilt or reproach.
However, I am optimistic about her
release, and I firmly hope the verdict will
be cancelled in the next stage of the trial.
My Iranian girl with Japanese eyes
and an American ID is in jail. Shame on me!
Shame on us!
I am praying every night for her to be released,she is innocent,every body knows that,you can see from her eyes.
All people,US,Iraninas,Japaneese should help to release her from unfair judgement.
Posted by: Arman | April 28, 2009 at 05:57 PM
This is heartbreaking. I really hope she'll be released very soon.
Posted by: James McNally | April 24, 2009 at 10:08 PM