TEHRAN – Iranian artists and officials are mourning the tragic loss of filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui and his wife Vahideh Mohammadifar, who were brutally murdered on Saturday night.

Tributes and condolences have been pouring in from across the country, expressing great sorrow over the passing of the esteemed filmmaker and his wife.

Following the news of the tragic murder of Dariush Mehrjui and his wife, which was met with widespread reactions, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili, emphasized in a message that the clarification of the dimensions of this crime will be seriously demanded and pursued. 

Former President Hassan Rouhani extended his condolences on the death of Dariush Mehrjui and his wife.

In part of his condolence message, he said, "The sad news of the murder of Dariush Mehrjui, the prominent Iranian filmmaker, and his honorable wife, Vahideh Mohammadifar, has caused great sorrow and regret. Mehrjui is a prominent name in the history of Iranian cinema, one of the founders of the new wave of cinema and the creator of outstanding films that have combined philosophical thinking, human values, and social concerns with the art of cinema. Through his films, Mehrjui has shaped the memories of several generations of Iranians and introduced them to profound and unique human and moral concepts. I extend my condolences to the Iranian cultural and artistic community for this heartbreaking event."

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament in a message of condolence said that this bitter incident should be followed up by relevant authorities until all its dimensions are clarified and the culprit or culprits are arrested.

The Film Producers Guild of Iran and Iranian Film Directors Guild also issued a joint statement urging the prompt clarity of all dimensions of this great tragedy.

Director of the Cinema Organization of Iran, Mohammad Khazaei, also reassured that the organization will use all its capacities to pursue and identify the perpetrator or perpetrators of this unforgivable crime, and will not hesitate until results are obtained and all aspects of the situation are clarified.

Furthermore, the House of Cinema announced that three days of mourning will be declared as a sign of respect for the cinema community, and on the same day as their funeral, all cinema projects throughout the country will be closed.

The director of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Peyman Jebeli, expressed condolences on the death of this prominent artist and his wife and stressed the need for a swift identification of those responsible for this tragedy.

Iranian Academy of Arts also issued a condolence message in the wake of Dariush Mehrjui and his wife's death.

The director of Iran's Farabi Cinema Foundation, Majid Zeinolabedin, also expressed condolences to the Mehrjui family and the Iranian cinema community and asked for God's mercy and comfort for them.

The President of the Fajr International Film Festival, Mojtaba Amini, also issued a message of condolences and emphasized the need to identify those responsible for this tragedy.

Hamid Reza Jafarian, the head of Soureh Cinema Organization, also published a condolence message.

Since the news of Mehrjui's murder was officially confirmed, social media has been filled with reactions from artists and friends of the filmmaker. These reactions have continued with the republication of his pictures and works, or scenes from his films.

Some of the reactions are from prominent figures in Iranian cinema, such as Bahram Radan, who played his most memorable role in Mehrjui's film "The Santur Player." He posted a scene from the film and a photo with Mehrjui's family and wrote: "How strange, how heartbreaking, how ruthless, woe to us."

Tahmineh Milani, who produced Mehrjui’s film "Bemani" with her husband, Mohammad Nikbin, also wrote on her personal page in social media: "The cinema family is shocked and saddened. We demand that this horrific tragedy be investigated."

Reza Kianian, prominent Iranian actor, wrote: "If there were and are five renowned directors in the history of Iranian cinema, without a doubt, one of them was Dariush Mehrjui. It does not matter whether we like his last films or not, what matters is that he never got tired. He did not give up."

Mehrjui's daughter Mona, who discovered the lifeless bodies of her parents, also received sympathy from Marzieh Borumand, the CEO of the House of Cinema: "I think of Mona, who was faced with a horrific scene last night and how she survived it."

Reza Mirkarimi, one of Iran's prominent directors, also wrote about Mehrjui's death: "A bitter farewell to master Dariush Mehrjui, a creative and experienced filmmaker with an educated and fair-minded perspective, from whom my generation learned a lot."

The Association of Film Critics in a statement about Mehrjui's murder said, "Writing about Mehrjui is not a new thing for cinema critics. They have always written about him and his works and the significant role he played in the credibility of Iranian cinema, and probably learned from him. It is less likely that a cinema critic and writer has not written about Mehrjui, but now writing about him and the horrific tragedy that befell him is difficult."

Dariush Mehrjui, the renowned Iranian filmmaker, and his wife Vahideh Mohammadifar were discovered stabbed to death at their home in Karaj on Saturday.

The motive behind this brutal act remains unknown, and authorities are conducting an immediate investigation to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the murder.

Hossein Fazeli, a judiciary official, confirmed the ongoing investigation and emphasized that the identity of the perpetrator or perpetrators behind this crime is still unclear.

Born in 1939 in Tehran, Mehrjui was a renowned Iranian filmmaker who was known for introducing realism, symbolism, and the sensibilities of art cinema. 

"Hamun" (1990), "Sara" (1993), "Pari" (1995), "Leila" (1996), "Mom's Guest" (2004), and "The Orange Suit" (2012) are among his credits. His most recent film, "La Minor," was released in 2020.

Throughout his career, Mehrjui has received numerous accolades and awards for his contributions to Iranian cinema. His films have been showcased at prestigious film festivals globally, earning him a dedicated following of cinephiles and critical acclaim.

Photo: Notable Iranian filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui and his wife Vahideh Mohammadifar in an undated photo

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