Blanchett Boycotts Locarno Fest in Support of SAG-AFTRA Strike
In a recent turn of events, famed actress and executive producer, Cate Blanchett, has decided to refrain from attending the closing-night screening of Noora Niasari’s debut film, Shayda, at the Locarno Film Festival on August 12. The decision comes as a show of support for the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. The film, at the Swiss festival, will be represented by director Niasari and star Zar Amir Ebrahimi instead.
Shayda, an emotional exploration of an Iranian mother and her daughter seeking refuge in Australia, has been a powerful presence at prestigious film festivals, having won the Audience Award at the Sundaince Film Festival’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition.
Blanchett, who was originally scheduled to moderate an August 12 afternoon conversation between Niasari and Ebrahimi geared towards “Iranian Women and Iranian Cinema”, opted not to attend due to her alignment with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Actors’ Council. The film, produced under Blanchett's Dirty Films label, is set to have its screening in Locarno’s 8k-seat Piazza Grande.
The plot of Shayda is rooted in powerful authenticity, being based on director Niasari’s own personal narrative - her mother’s courageous journey of fleeing an arranged marriage to raise her daughter (Niasari) in Australia. This deeply personal story takes a poignant turn during the Persian New Year, as the pair look to find solace in Nowruz rituals and renewed beginnings, only to have their peace disrupted by the intimidating re-entry of a estranged husband into their lives.
Speaking on Shayda, Blanchett has previously lauded the film's strong narrative and Niasari’s adept storytelling. The Oscar-winner also expressed how the film resonates on a larger cultural discourse rooted in the harsh realities Iranian women are subjected to in current times.
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Now, having dispensed the news as it stands, let's dive into the bubbling pot of H-Town chatter. First off, can we just offer a sparkling round of applause to dear old Cate? Always one to step away from the high gloss glamour of the red carpet and stand up for what's right. The solidarity extending to an executive producer's capacity is indeed a relishing gust of wind in the current climate of stoppage. Clearly, Blanchett has no “Oscar immunity” to dodge the sledgehammer of workforce conflict.
On the other side of this two-way mirror, we find Shayda - a film, it seems, that was birthed under the sincerest familial stars. In modern cinema, nothing paints richer depths than a filmmaker weaving an uncensored tapestry of their authentic experiences. Noora Niasari seems to have set a beautifully intense table of Iranian culture and womanhood here, extending an invite all the way from Australia through the heart of Switzerland.
Yet, while our hearts tug in full sympathy for the missed presence of La Blanchett, let's drift a little towards the remaining dignitaries who will be donning the cinematic aura of the Locarno Film Festival. If there's one thing the show business has consistently taught us, it's that the show must go on. May the laughter lines of the audience create a harmony echoing all the way to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA picket lines.
Here's to continued resilience in the face of tribulations, an apt reflection, perhaps, of the very narrative Shayda seems to resonate with. As we sign off this evening, we let one thing hover in our minds: when life imitates art, the resulting stories make for compelling films and even bolder headlines.
