Iran backflips on award winner

IRAN'S government has hailed the weekend win by Iranian movie A Separation at the Golden Globes awards.

IRAN'S government has hailed the weekend win by Iranian movie A Separation at the Golden Globes awards -- overlooking its initial efforts to prevent the film being made.

In a message to director Asghar Farhadi, published by the Mehr news agency, Deputy Culture Minister Javad Shamaqdari on Tuesday said: "I congratulate Mr Farhadi, the film community and the Iranian people for this success."

He said the film's Golden Globes award for best foreign language movie showed the quality of cinema and culture under Iran's Islamic revolution.

There was no mention of the fact that the government ordered suspension of the filming of A Separation in 2010 because Farhadi voiced support for fellow filmmakers labelled "anti-regime" by authorities.

Production resumed after Farhadi issued an apology.

Iran's film industry generally is operating under increasing government restrictions since the disputed 2009 re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Several filmmakers have been arrested.

AFP