Iran has submitted the controversial film ' Muhammad: The Messenger of God' about the birth and childhood of Prophet Mohammed to the Oscars' Foreign Film category. Directed by Majid Majidi, the film marks a historic turn in the entertainment industry in the Middle East region due to its depiction of the prophet.
The partially government funded film is the most expensive to ever come out of Iran. With the budget of $40 million, the film features a number of A-Listers including Vittorio Storaro and A.R. Rahman.
'Muhammad: The Messenger of God' caused major controversy within Muslim communities, especially in Sunni communities around the world, including a fatwa issued by a Muslim group in India. Despite the backlash however, the film is currently playing in over 320 screens across Iran.
With all the controversy surrounding the film, it grossed over $2 million within its first month in theaters and may prove to be a strong contender for the Oscars due to the fact that it challenges the perception of Islam as a violent religion.
The film is co-written by Kambuzia Partovi, a prominent Iranian film director and scriptwriter, and took eight years to be completed. Throughout the long process of making the film, the team worked tirelessly and very closely with historians and archaeologists to ensure the accuracy of the work done.
Furthermore, the film took a stumble when it was first scheduled to premiere at the Fajr International Film Festival . However, due to technical difficulties, the premiere never took place.
Nevertheless, a special screening was held for journalists, film critics, and the film crew on February 12. The film was then released in Iran as well as the Montreal World Film Festival on Aug. 27.