It initially looked as if the Iranian authorities were reacting positively to the success of Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation at the Academy Awards. A reception for Farhadi, whose film won the best foreign language Oscar, had been arranged by the Centre for Directors of Iranian Cinema and the High Council of Producers of Iranian Cinema. The government was reportedly happy that an Iranian film had beaten an Israeli one (Joseph Cedar’s superb Footnotes) in this high- profile competition. Now we learn that a permit has been denied for the reception.

Conservative voices in Iran have objected to the depictions of marital disharmony in A Separation.