The Upside-down Triangle reached audiences as an unauthorized online release, a direct response to the seizure of production materials and the filmmaker’s subsequent legal conviction. Hossein Rajabian, an Iranian director, screenwriter, and photographer, saw his professional trajectory interrupted in 2013 when state security forces arrested him, fundamentally altering his ability to produce or distribute artistic works through conventional domestic channels.
Early Career and Artistic Scope
Rajabian began his creative pursuits within a theater school setting before transitioning into cinema. His early portfolio focused on short films and documentaries, including 2005's Navigation and 2006's To Revolution Square. He briefly attended the Faculty of Art and Architecture in Tehran to study Dramatic literature but did not complete the program. An intended move to the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna was blocked when authorities confiscated his passport.
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On 5 October 2013, security forces arrested Rajabian in Sari. He spent over two months in solitary confinement at Tehran’s Evin Prison. In 2015, Judge Moghisseh of Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced him to six years for activities deemed illegal, including propaganda against the state. This was later reduced to three years of imprisonment plus a three-year suspended sentence. During his incarceration, he engaged in multiple hunger strikes to protest his trial conditions and lack of medical care.
International Advocacy
His case attracted global attention from human rights organizations and public figures. Amnesty International campaigned for his release, while individuals including Johnny Depp and Peter Gabriel supported the 'Art is not a Crime' initiative. United Nations officials, including then-Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Rapporteur Asma Jahangir, formally requested his unconditional release. Pressure from these international efforts and human rights groups eventually preceded his release from prison.
Distribution as Protest
Rajabian utilized the internet to bypass censorship. He released a copy of his feature film The Upside-down Triangle while facing state suppression. His subsequent feature, Creation between Two Surfaces, was released online in February 2020. This distribution method served as an act of defiance, aligning with his ongoing stance against artistic censorship in Iran and his commitment to themes surrounding human rights and political expression.
Fast facts
- Born: 1984, Sari, Iran
- Primary occupations: Director, screenwriter, photographer
- Notable works: The Upside-down Triangle, Creation between Two Surfaces
- 2017 awards: Global Investigative Journalism Network, Rebellion artist in the world
- Prison location: Evin Prison, Tehran
- Filmography includes: Navigation (2005), To Revolution Square (2006)
Questions readers ask
Why was Hossein Rajabian imprisoned?
He was convicted on charges related to illegal cinematic activities, propaganda against the state, and insulting sanctities.
What is the status of his film Creation between Two Surfaces?
The film was released for free on the internet in February 2020 as a protest against censorship.
Achievements
- Notable work: People in distance
- Notable work: To Revolution Square
- Notable work: Navigation
- Notable work: The Upside-down Triangle
- Worked as film director, writer and photographer
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