Cyanide: Iran MOIS movie on silver screens in Canada

Iran Probe

Thursday, 29 December 2016

An Iranian film named “Cyanide” was screened in Canada in the months of November and December. This movie, funded by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), delivers a defaced story about a portion of the history of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)before the 1979 revolution in Iran, that a percentage of its members became Marxists, going on to defect and establishing another organization by the name of “Peykar.”

For some time now the Iranian regime has launched efforts to produce a large number of movies and TV serials against the MEK. These days’ state-run media and websites affiliated to the MOIS, initiated a widespread advertising campaign in this regard. These movies are sent abroad in addition to being aired inside in Iran.

As the role of senior Iranian regime officials in the summer 1988 massacres in Iran has been revealed recently, Iran is witnessing a huge social wave of abhorrence regarding the regime’s current officials who played a role in that tragedy. This trend has been in favor of the MEK, forcing Tehran to such measures of producing movies and TV serials to stage a counterattack.

In October of this year alone the Iranian regime’s media outlets reported the production of three different anti-MEK movies by the names of “Midday Adventures,” “The Last Days of Winter” and “Eagerness and Separation.” Prior to that two other movies by the names of “Mina’s Facility” and “Cyanide” were also produced.

During the span of the last 12 months the Iranian regime has produced 30 movies, documentaries and TV serials, all having a number of different episodes. One of these so-called documentaries, ordered by the MOIS and titled “The Parliament,” consisted of 31 episodes. These productions are in addition to the so-called documentaries aired years ago and rerun this year. The total number of such airings are noteworthy, to say the least.

Amongst all these movies Iran’s MOIS has attempted to further advertise the film “Cyanide” it was able to place on silver screens in Canada, resorting to huge expenses for this cause. It first allocated a number of awards for this movie, including the state-run “Phoenix Festival,” where the film was prized as best picture.

An individual by the name of Seyed Ruollah Fazli, in charge of the Basij Student Branch Public Relations Office in Alborz Province, northern Iran, delivered a few remarks about objectives of the “Phoenix Festival,”

“Phoenix Festival is reflecting the concerns of the Supreme Leader about increasing cultural and artistic activities in universities,” he said.

The production of these films and forged documentaries are ordered and carried out under the watchful eyes of Iran’s MOIS and other entities involved in domestic crackdown. They are, however, considered so ridiculous by the Iranian people that the regime’s own film producers are publicly admitting to this dilemma. Each are accusing the other for accepting to actually produce such movies.

“For example, they say this movie is produced by that entity. You know, and I know that we are all kidding about this. They are all connected to each other. In the Islamic Republic they are truly joking when they say I have been involved in the private sector…when anyone says I’ll provide the money, you make the film, why can’t I produce a movie that meets my own concerns? I am so happy the MOIS has come forward and said they’ll provide the money for a few movies; how great!” said film producer Ibrahim Hatami Kia said in an interview with “Shahrvand” website on April 13^th about his cooperation with the MOIS in producing such movies.

However, regarding Cyanide, even the reigme’s own state media outlets have no reservations in saying this movie was ordered by the MOIS.

“Reports indicate the movie, Cyanide, was produced under direct orders of the MOIS,” the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Quds Force-affiliated Tasnim news agency wired on October 8.

“There is a certain viewpoint about you amongst many people, and they say you are connected to the security apparatus, and that you have certain connections leading you to enter this field of work, and that the budget for your film was always provided for, and you are free to do whatever you wish,” reported the IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency about a round table discussing the movie Cyanide, with the anchorman asking the movie’s producer.

“Whenever a historic film is produced everyone thinks the money has come from the government,” Tasnim news agency on October 26^th cited Cyanide producer Mahmoud Razavi in his remarks about allegations of his work being “ordered.”

Although the MOIS’ propaganda apparatus provided huge budgets to boost this film, here are a few remarks from various viewers who commented about the movie in a film website, “Salam Cinema” inside Iran:

–      Completely ridiculous.

–      Being insulted would have been better than watching this movie.

–      Don’t waste your time watching this movie.

–      I left the cinema.

–      For the first time in my life I fell asleep during a movie.

–      I have never seen a more pathetic film in my life; I fell asleep.

–      This was the worst movie I have ever seen. I don’t suggest it at all. It is nonsense.

Of course, the regime’s supporters have also made remarks and actually complained why all awards were not given to this movie.

–      Cyanide is a special event in Iran’s cinema, and the stupid and incompetent judges did not understand this special development.

Another such individual wrote:

–      It was a relatively well-produced movie. This part of history and the monafeqin (meaning hypocrites/infidels, the term used by the Iranian regime for the MEK) needs more work.

A third individual actually complained about the distortion of MEK history in this movie:

–      The [film producers] must show impartiality in evaluating history and refrain from exiting the path of justice. The truth is that this organization was amongst those struggling during the 1970s and many of the senior figures provided support for this organization. In 1976 all its members became Marxist followers, and even the Taghi Shahram faction issued an ideology shift statement admitting 50% of MEK members were purged for their Islamic viewpoints…

Behrooz Shoeibi the director of “Cynide” is reported in the Iranian regime media to say that the film is impartial. Hoever, it is unblivable for a film to be funded and supported by the notorious MOIS against the PMOI/MEK and still to be impartial.