Rasoulof spoke to us this morning on the ground in Cannes, where he covertly arrived earlier this week.
The filmmaker also shares his plans following the films debut in Cannes.
DEADLINE: First, how are you?
Mohammad RasoulofStephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images
MOHAMMAD RASOULOF:Im fine.
Ive been through very difficult times.
An exhausting, long, complicated, and anguishing journey, but I am here.
All I feel is gratitude.
DEADLINE:What did your journey out of Iran entail?
But after the New Year, the appeal was heard and my sentence was confirmed.
At the time, I was in the process of editing my film.
I knew everything was going to happen extremely quickly.
I knew that crossing the border was dangerous.
It took me two hours to make my decision to go.
DEADLINE: How were you able to find people to help you cross the border?
So I contacted them because they had previously offered to help me.
Its thanks to their help that I was able to do this.
I was taken to a village at the border on the Iranian side.
I had to wait there for the appropriate moment to cross the border.
I had to hit up the German authorities as I had previously lived in Germany.
And thats how I could be transferred to Germany.
The whole process took me about 28 days.
How exactly did youmanage to avoid theauthoritiesand finish the film?
RASOULOF:Generally, restrictions make you more creative.
You have to find solutions.
You have to develop your imagination.
We worked with a very small camera and had almost no technical materials.
I owe this film to my crew specifically my DP, who is an extremely powerful creative artist.
So the lighter, the better.
We did everything with a student-like budget.
DEADLINE: Have you been able to speak with any of your crew or cast?
There was a raid at my DPs office.
They took his materials.
The sound engineer has also been put under pressure, and so have the actors.
Those who stayed are really under pressure, but this is completely illegal.
They have done nothing but take part in the film.
Some of the cast and crew were able to flee before the project was revealed.
But others who are still there are really in danger.
DEADLINE: What are your plans after Cannes?
Do you have an idea what your life will look like next?
And I believe that feeling will allow me to continue telling the stories of my people and culture.
Before being forced into exile, I was already banned from working.
I couldnt shoot films, so I decided to work on an animation project.
So I always find ways of creating.
Now that Im out of Iran I still believe I have the potential and ability to go on creating.
