Director Sepideh Farsi has highlighted the importance of Iranian filmmakers in exile. "It's up to us to raise our voices for the revolt and the revolution in Iran while we still can. With our films or with our words and our gestures," she said at a press conference about her representative at the Berlinale Animated film "La Sirene". The production deals with the Iraq-Iran war and takes place in 1980.

The Berlinale also wants to remind people of the situation in Iran. Farsi addressed a solidarity demonstration with the country on the red carpet planned for Saturday at the Berlinale Palast. Even before the opening, several women held up a white banner on the red carpet on Thursday evening with the slogan "Woman Life Freedom" on it. On stage, actress and jury member Golshifteh Farahani drew attention to the situation in her country and said: "This regime will fall."

Born in Tehran in 1965, Farsi said none of her films have ever been shown in Iran. Many colleagues feel the same way. In her home country there is "Propagandakino". That is why it is important that they are represented at international festivals. "We're trying to form up and we're trying to get together now and we're shouting out that there is censorship in Iran."