Filmmaker Darius Mehrjui was killed by his ex-gardener, according to Iranian justice

2023-10-23 12:49:58

Iranian authorities blame the murder of famous Iranian filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui and his wife on their former gardener. The opposition doubts this thesis.

Iranian director Dariush Mehrjui was stabbed to death on October 15, with his wife, by his former gardener due to a financial dispute, Iranian justice said on Monday, October 23. “The main suspect worked as a gardener in Mr Mehrjui’s villa and was angry with him over financial matters“, explained the head of justice for the province of Alborz, close to Tehran, Hossein Fazeli-Harikandi. The director owed 300 million rials (around 600 euros) to his ex-employee, according to him.

Emotions were strong in Iran after the announcement of the death of Dariush Mehrjui, pioneer of the advent of Iranian cinema, stabbed to death at the age of 83 on October 15 with his wife Vahideh Mohammadifar, a screenwriter aged 54, at their home in Karaj, west of the Iranian capital.

A total of four people are involved in this murder. Still according to Iranian justice, they entered the villa and the ex-gardener hit then stabbed Dariush Mehrjui in the neck while he was watching television. His wife was killed in her bedroom.

The couple felt watched and threatened

The opposition to the Iranian government does not believe this thesis. She claims that the couple had recently sent several messages which could suggest that they felt watched and threatened. In a video that made the rounds on social media in Iran, Dariush Mehrjui and his wife Vahideh Mohammadifar both whisper “Long live freedom !” before the director concludes with a “Be careful”.

Many Iranian filmmakers, including Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof, attended the funeral of Mehrjui, author of The cow in 1969, and his wife.

Pioneer of the advent of the new wave of Iranian cinema, Dariush Mehrjui was a major figure of the 7th art in Iran but his films were censored in his country throughout his career, both during the regime of the Shah of Iran and of that of the Ayatollahs. Besides The cowhe notably carried out Mister naive (1970), The cycle (1974), Tenants (1987), Hamoun (1990), Sara (1993), Pari (1995) et Leila (1996).