US immigration ban could prevent nominees attending the Oscars

They say movies and politics often clash, and in the case of Donald Trump’s controversial immigration ban it has made the connection even more prevalent.

With an Executive Order prohibiting people from certain ‘threat’ countries able to (re)enter the US -despite anyone who’s already got a Visa, green card, or is an actual, legal US citizen with a home, family, and a job there – it’s not simply a knock-on effect for tourism, diplomatic visits, pr for anyone who’s lived there for years; but for professionals who have legitimate business in the US.

Take filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, an Oscars 2017 nominee for his movie ‘The Salesman’ and former Best Foreign Language Film winner in 2012 with the stunning ‘A Separation’. After Trump’s decision to exclude anyone with links to seven countries – including Iranian-born Farhadi’s – it now means he’s – and outrageously so – banned from the country and attending the Oscars.

Over the weekend (of the 28 and 29 January) Judges have temporarily been able to lift the strict ban the Trump administration put into place last week, so while he can once again currently enter the US, he may be banned again when the Oscars come around on 26 February.

Oscars organisers have described the Executive Order as “extremely troubling”, stating that it was something they did not agree with.

An official spokesperson for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had this to say;

“As supporters of film-makers – 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.”

The Academy also reiterated its stance on inclusive, diverse filmmaking “which seeks to transcend borders and speak to audiences around the world, regardless of national, ethnic, or religious differences.”

Indeed, the cast and crew of ‘The Salesman’, as looks to be the case, will be barred from the US, with its star Taraneh Alidoosti making her feelings known on Twitter.

Plenty of other high profile Hollywood names have voiced their disgust with what is commonly being referred to as a Muslim ban, with the likes of Kerry Washington, Rob Reiner, and filmmaker Michael Moore condemning the Order.

Which begs the question: should Hollywood boycott the Oscars in protest?

Should the Academy cancel due to the political discrimination that’s preventing its guests from attending?

Or should those who are prohibited to be there voice their views on the worrying and dangerous things the Trump presidency is undertaking?

If Meryl Streep speaking out got under Trump’s skin, then he could be set to receive it tenfold come Oscars night.

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