Mannheim-Heidelberg, 23 September 2011 --- Katayoon Shahabi, Iranian sales agents and producer, has been arrested together with five other Iranian filmmakers.

The International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg protests, helplessly but full of anger, against a regime, which acts in a ruthless and inhuman way that reminds of Nazi-Germany.

Katayoon Shahabi, who has been the Festival’s business partner for many years and who was also member of the International Jury in 2000, is a very sensitive and educated person, who has been caring for Iranian filmmakers with great love for the art of cinema for many years. She loves the culture of her country, at the same time having caveats against many cultural aspects of the Western world which she has known while studying in Paris.

The International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg appeals to all other international film festivals for noticeable action. The Festival itself will, for the time being, only show films from Iran which decidedly turn on the regime, under the condition that the responsibles have already left the country and their lives are in no danger.

It also calls to the other festivals to, for the time being, not issue accreditations to persons who more or less openly work for the regime, such as the organisation Farabi or the undercover organisation Visual Media Institute.