UPDATE: It’s been confirmed that Farhadi is set to return to Paris for his next film, “Parallel Tales.” The film is eyeing a Spring 2026 release in France, which basically means it’s aiming to world premiere at Cannes.
The film, whose plot remains under wraps, has an incredible cast of French talent, including Isabelle Huppert (“Elle”), Virginie Efira (“Benedetta”), Vincent Cassel (“Black Swan”), Catherine Deneuve (“Belle de Jour”), Pierre Niney (“The Count of Monte Cristo”) and Adam Bessa (“Ghost Trail”).
EARLIER: Asghar Farhadi will be setting his next film way outside of Iran.
The filmmaker has set up a fall shoot in Paris for an as-yet-untitled film. No plot details or casting have been revealed at this time. It wasn’t too long ago that he’d hinted at an L.A. based shoot, but word is that he’s assembled an A-list cast of French actors for this next one.
In a January 2024 interview (via Le Monde), Farhadi revealed he wouldn’t be making any new films in Iran, for the time being, as an act of resistance against the regime.
For forty years, Iranian artists have continued to produce, year after year, despite repression and censorship. But, for the past year, there has been a drying up in production, particularly cinematographic productions. For my part, I can no longer continue to work in the same conditions. I no longer want to systematically cover women's hair in my cinema. I will no longer make films in Iran until I can free myself from this obligation.
Farhadi shot two of his films outside of Iran “The Past” (France) and “Everybody Knows” (Spain). However, he’s built a career out of making these strong and intense Iranian dramas. With “About Elly," “A Separation," “The Salesman," and “A Hero,” the Iranian-born filmmaker cemented his name on the shortlist of modern world-class filmmakers.
A few years ago, Farhadi faced a plagiarism controversy involving the idea for his 2021 film “A Hero,” which one of his former film students claimed to have developed with him.
Azadeh Masihzadeh alleged that Farhadi pressured her into signing over the rights to her story without giving her credit, prompting a legal battle in Iran. In 2023, an Iranian court exonerated Farhadi of all charges.