2017 Oscars: Top Moments From the Ceremony7 of 12
Iranian director takes a stand
There were plenty of jokes about Trump during the ceremony but the most powerful political statement of the night came from Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who won Best Foreign Language Film with The Salesman.
Farhadi boycotted the ceremony and Anousheh Ansari, an engineer who was the first Iranian to travel into space, read a statement on his behalf.
“I’m sorry I’m not with you tonight. My absence is out of respect for the people of my country and those of other six nations whom have been disrespected by the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the U.S.," said the statement. "Dividing the world into the 'us and our enemies' categories creates fear.
"Filmmakers can turn their cameras to capture shared human qualities and break stereotypes of various nationalities and religions. They create empathy between us and others. An empathy which we need today more than ever.”
There were plenty of jokes about Trump during the ceremony but the most powerful political statement of the night came from Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who won Best Foreign Language Film with The Salesman.
Farhadi boycotted the ceremony and Anousheh Ansari, an engineer who was the first Iranian to travel into space, read a statement on his behalf.
“I’m sorry I’m not with you tonight. My absence is out of respect for the people of my country and those of other six nations whom have been disrespected by the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the U.S.," said the statement. "Dividing the world into the 'us and our enemies' categories creates fear.
"Filmmakers can turn their cameras to capture shared human qualities and break stereotypes of various nationalities and religions. They create empathy between us and others. An empathy which we need today more than ever.”
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Photo by Kevin Winter - © 2017 Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com