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The International Press Institute (IPI) has teamed with Austrian human rights film festival “this human world” to present a screening of director Jon Stewart’s “Rosewater”, depicting Iran’s brutal imprisonment of acclaimed journalist Maziar Bahari, followed by a discussion with Bahari himself about the film and his campaign #journalismisnotacrime. The event will take place at Vienna’s Filmcasino theatre (Margaretenstraße 78, 1050) on Dec. 8 beginning at 8:15 p.m.

“Rosewater” follows the story of Bahari; a London-based Iranian-Canadian journalist who spent 118 days behind bars in Iran in 2009 for his efforts documenting protests that arose amid that year’s disputed re-election of then- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. During the course of his captivity, Bahari was tortured and interrogated by an unnamed member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards identified partly by his use of rosewater as a scent. The film is based on Bahari’s best-selling memoir, “Then They Came for Me: a Family’s Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival”. It marks the screenwriting and directorial debut of former “The Daily Show” host and executive producer Jon Stewart, and stars Gael García Bernal, leading an international cast.

Following the screening, Bahari will speak with audience members in an hour-long discussion moderated by IPI Executive Director Barbara Trionfi. The talk will address the film and Bahari’s campaign #journalismisnotacrime, which documents human rights abuses related to criticism of the state and officials in Iran, raises awareness of the situation of press freedom in the country and supports Iranian journalists by providing them with legal and psychological assistance.

The 2015 “this human world” film festival, running from Dec. 3 to 11, will present some 70 international and national films and documentaries at around 100 venues in Vienna, accompanied by dialogues, open discussions, workshops, concerts and a nightline. Organisers say the festival, celebrating its eighth year, is intended to “provide the public with eye-opening moments close to social reality… [and] deal with current conflicts and take a clear political and social stand… sensitively, evocatively and sometimes even with a sense of humour”.

Tickets to the screening of Rosewater and other festival entries are available for €8 (€7 for students or seniors; €6.50 for members of the Schikaneder Club or the Ö1 Club), with a further discount available for blocks of 10 tickets. Pre-sale tickets will be available from Nov. 27 to Dec. 3 at the ticket offices of Filmcasino or the Top Kino theatre (Rahlgasse 1, 1060). During the festival, tickets can be purchased at those locations, as well as at the Festivalzentrale (located at Paninoteca, Margaretenstraße 22, 1040) and the Schikaneder theatre (Margaretenstraße 24, 1040).

The Vienna-based IPI is a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists dedicated to furthering and safeguarding press freedom, promoting the free flow of news and information, and improving the practices of journalism. Founded on the belief that a free press would contribute to the creation of a better world, IPI today includes members in more than 120 countries and holds consultative status with the Council of Europe and other international bodies.

For more information about the screening of Rosewater and the discussion with Maziar Bahari, please contact Silvia Morales, IPI Outreach & Engagement Manager, at + 43 1 512 9011 or by email at [email protected].

Social Media Information

Facebook Event Page: “Screening of Jon Stewart’s ‘Rosewater’ – Q&A with journalist Maziar Bahari”
Follow the event on Twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #ipirosewater

The International Press Institute (IPI)
Twitter: @globalfreemedia
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalPressInstituteIPI
Maziar Bahari
Twitter: @maziarbahari
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Maziar-Bahari-101777429915731
Rosewater
Twitter: @RosewaterMovie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rosewatermovie
#Journalismisnotacrime
Twitter: @JournoNotACrime
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journoisnotacrime
this human world
Twitter: @thishumanworld
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/this.human.world.festival
Filmcasino
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Filmcasino