Trafalgar Square Screening of The Salesman – More Please, Mr. Mayor

Last night a screening of Oscar-nominated film The Salesman took place in Trafalgar Square. Given it was up for an Oscar this year, it’s strange for it to be publicly aired for free. It’s clearly still marketable for money. Unfortunately, there’s a Trump-related story behind it, one that requires a closer look.

The Film

The Salesman was actually nominated for the foreign language film award, being Iranian made. The director, Asghar Farhadi, wasn’t allowed to enter the US under Trump’s short-lived immigration ban. In the event of him winning, the country giving him the award wouldn’t have let him collect it.

In response, Farhadi decided to boycott the Oscars, even if the US eventually allowed him entry for the event. Farhadi and his film represent Iran and Iranian Islamic culture. The new American government has made it clear that neither are welcome.

The Screening

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has already made his views on Trump’s Muslim ban clear. Words, however were not enough. Khan decided to act, inviting Farhadi to screen his film publicly, just as the Oscar’s themselves began.

The Mayor hopes to showcase London’s diversity and openness, in stark contrast to events across the pond. Khan went on to state after some microphone issues that “President Trump can’t silence me.” A flair for both the fun and the dramatic, perhaps.

The screening was actually the British premiere of the film, making the event even more special. Many actors and directors signed a letter asking for the screening to take place in front of the US embassy. Clearly the embassy needs to prepare for further Trump-based protest: it marked the beginning of the woman’s march earlier this year.

Trafalgar Square as Cinema

Thousands attended the showing in Trafalgar Square. This premiere is the second ever held at the site. The final Harry Potter film was the first, due only to building works in Leicester Square. It raises questions of why this kind of thing doesn’t happen more often.

We hope in light of what’s going on around the world, and the brilliance of Farhadi’s film, that more screenings of films take place here. Film education is the way forward, engaging and reaching farther than many other forms. If free screenings bring foreign affairs and issues into the public eye, it can provide some reality and background to the ever-raging immigration debate.

Diversity and the Oscars

In case you wondered – and should Farhadi and his crew care – The Salesman won it’s category. Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American engineer and the first Iranian in space, collected the award on his behalf. Even the announcement that she would be reading a prepared statement from the director met with cheers from the audience.

Farhadi stated that he was boycotting out of respect of his people and those from the other six countries on Trump’s ‘inhumane’ Muslim ban. Deafening applause followed this pronouncement, a now familiar response from the increasingly politicised film world.

It’s hard to forget, however, that this crowd are the same that benefitted last year from the Oscars whitewash. There wasn’t much protest there. Perhaps it goes to show that we sadly need someone like Trump to be our easily-identified enemy.

At best, perhaps this US government will give Hollywood cause to look at their hirings and hierarchy a little closer. Londoners will settle for it marking the first in a long line of diverse and culturally informative screenings in Trafalgar Square.

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