Iran has problems. Following the takeover of the Ayatollah in the end of the 70’s, the country has been ruled by a theocracy ever since, and this has meant that anyone not following their edicts have been victimized by the regime. In the last several years, the killing of women for failing to wear their hijab has caused mass demonstrations, but has failed to yield any political change as of yet.

Recently, a filmmaker by the name of Mohammad Rasoulof has fled to Europe after being handed a bullshit 8 year prison sentence. His crime? Rasoulof makes films that are critical of the government, and this has made him enemy #1 in their eyes.

Last week, Rasoulof’s lawyer told The Associated Press that the director had been sentenced to eight years in prison, flogging and confiscation of property by the Islamic Republic. Rasoulof’s attorney, Babak Paknia, said the filmmaker was being punished for making films and signing statements…“Knowing that the news of my new film would be revealed very soon, I knew that without a doubt, a new sentence would be added to these eight years,” said Rasoulof. “I didn’t have much time to make a decision. I had to choose between prison and leaving Iran. With a heavy heart, I chose exile. The Islamic Republic confiscated my passport in September 2017. Therefore, I had to leave Iran secretly.”

Rasoulof is now in an undisclosed location for his own safety. Even Europe isn’t safe with the amount of fundamentalists living anonymously among the populous. He hopes to be able to show his latest film called “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”, which he describes as “how insidiously the Iranian dictatorship creeps into families”. Considering many of the actors in the film have also fled the country, Rasoulof fears for their safety.

If Iran ever hopes to change, it’s going to need more men like Rasoulof and his peers, bravely taking on their government at the risk of their own lives. That, my friend, is true bravery.