In the wake of the news that President Donald Trump’s newly enacted Muslim travel ban would likely keep celebrated Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi from attending the Oscars next month — the executive order bans citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, as well as all refugees, from entering the U.S. — the Academy is speaking out to sharply criticize Trump’s actions. Farhadi directed and wrote The Salesman, a drama which is one of the five films nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s awards; he previously won an Oscar in 2012, in the same category, for his film A Separation. “The Academy celebrates achievement in the art of filmmaking, which seeks to transcend borders and speak to audiences around the world, regardless of national, ethnic, or religious differences,†the organization said in a statement. “As supporters of filmmakers — and the human rights of all people — around the globe, we find it extremely troubling that Asghar Farhadi, the director of the Oscar-winning film from Iran A Separation, along with the cast and crew of this year’s Oscar-nominated film The Salesman, could be barred from entering the country because of their religion or country of origin.â€
Farhadi has yet to personally speak out, though his Salesman star previously announced last week that she was boycotting the Oscars in response to Trump’s Muslim ban. Trump’s visa ban for Iranians is racist,†she tweeted. “Whether this will include a cultural event or not, I won’t attend the #AcademyAwards 2017 in protest.â€