Berlin, Jan 19 (DPA) The Berlin Film Festival has unveiled plans to screen movies from Jafar Panahi at next month's Berlinale as a sign of solidarity with the jailed Iranian filmmaker.
Panahi had been invited to be a member of this year's Berlinale jury. But in December 2010 he was sentenced to six years imprisonment and banned from filmmaking for the next 20 years on charges of working against Iran's ruling system.
Earlier last year, Panahi was detained by Iranian authorities amid reports that he was making a film about last year's controversial presidential election, which saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad returned to power.
"We are going to use every opportunity to protest against this drastic verdict", said Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick.
In addition, this year's Berlinale will include a panel discussion on censorship in Iran.