The movie Circle directed by Jafar Panahi received the prize of Freedom of Expression, by the national film critiques association in United States. In the text accompanying the crystalline statue delivered to Jafar Panahi, it is said, 'The national film critiques association in America is honored to present the prize of freedom of expression to you for making the extraordinary courageous motion picture Circle. We are sorry that you were unable to participate in our official celebration. This assembly wishes you success in your future cinematic activities.'

The national film critiques association is one of the oldest organs observing the cinematic activities throughout the world. It was established in 1909 as a reaction to pervading censorship in American cinema. This group has been one of the pioneer groups in freedom of expression in American Cinema as an independent anti-censorship group. Since 1929, it has been presenting prizes to film-makers and cinematographers. Some of the recent winners of this assembly were Kristof Kislovsky, Francis Ford Copolla, Andrzej Wajda, Martin Scorsisi, Steven Suderberg, and…

The reason for presenting the ninety second prize of freedom of expression to Circle can be sought in the fact that although this prize is not presented to political films, but it is a political prize protesting against those trends and groups that intend to pollute art with politics. In fact the national film critiques association believes that anybody with any kind of ideology or ideal has the right to make his/her film and communicate with those he addresses. In addition, the fact that Circle did not get permission to be screened here in Iran on the basis that Panahi has won several prizes in various film festivals and is a familiar name outside the country, was widely published in the majority of foreign cinematic journals.

Jafar Panahi has indeed won several prizes in different film festivals that include: Cannes gold camera (1995), the great prize of films of Tokyo and the prize of the best movie of Tokyo (1995), the prize of gold plaque of Brazil (1995) for his film White Balloon, the prize of gold leopard of Locarno Festival in 1997 and the prize of gold tulip of Istanbul in 1998 for his film Mirror. In 2000 Circle won the gold lion of Venice, and the prize of UNICEF and Catholic Churches of the world. Circle will be screened on March 28^th in America.

-- Translated for payvand.com by Roya Monajem, royamonajem@gmail.com