BERLIN: Isabella Rossellini Reads Jafar Panahi's Prison Letter

BERLIN – Isabella Rossellini turned the Berlin Film Festival's opening night gala into a public condemnation of the Iranian regime when she read aloud from a letter by director Jafar Panahi,written from his prison cell in Tehran. (See Related Article: Isabella Rossellini Reads Prison Letter From Jafar Panahiat Berlin Fest's Opening Night Gala (Berlin) )

Jafar Panahi, open letter to Berlin Film Festival.10 Feb 2011. Berlin - Germany:

Jafar Panahi

Berlin film fest honours imprisoned director

AFP: The Berlin film festival will honour dissident Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi, who was sentenced to prison in December, on the anniversary of the Islamic revolution Friday. Following tributes in Cannes and Venice, Berlin invited Panahi to serve on its jury. But though he is free on bail after receiving a six-year jail sentence and a 20-year film-making ban, he is barred from travelling abroad. The 61st Berlinale, as the event in known, has held a place open on the jury, chaired by Italian-American actress Isabella Rossellini, for Panahi "to show its support for his struggle for freedom". "We are still hoping that he will be able to come. We haven't given up," the Italian-American actress told reporters at the festival's opening news conference Thursday, as she sat next to his vacant chair >>>

Short hair in Milan

if a child

If a child never sees beauty, then as an adult the world will be gray.
If a child never hears kindness, then it as an adult will become deaf to words.
If a child never feels compassion, then as an adult can it be humane?
If a child is never touched, then as an adult will become a void.
If a child solely experiences abuse, is that not all it will give?
If a child never knows faith, can he truly have hope?
However, if a child is denied…

The beauty of a book,
The kindness of a “Thank You,”
The compassion of a hug,
The tenderness of a tear,
The fear of the fist,
That ray of light which drives us all through the darkness,
What truly have we nurtured?
Have we nurtured?

source

futility