Iranian Authorities Plan to Sue Hollywood Over ARGO Misrepresentation

Related: ARGO

Iranian Authorities Plan to Sue Hollywood Over ARGO Misrepresentation According to a report in the Associated Press, Iranian authorities are considering suing Hollywood over the way their country was depicted in the Academy Award-winning film ARGO. The film is based on the 1979 escape of six hostages from Tehran who found asylum at the Canadian Embassy during the hostage crisis.

The report notes, "Iranian media say authorities are planning to Sue Hollywood" over what they deem to be "unrealistic portrayal" of the country."

Several media outlets, including the pro-reform Shargh daily, reported today that French lawyer Isabelle Coutant-Peyre is now in Iran for "talks with officials over how and where to file the lawsuit." Coutant-Peyre is also serving as the attorney for Venezuelan-born terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, also known as Carlos the Jackal.

Iranian officials maintain the film is anti-Iran while basically advertising the CIA. The decision to file the lawsuit decision arose after a screening of the movie last night which "a group of Iranian cultural officials and movie critics" attended.

The 2012 historical drama thriller film was directed by Ben Affleck. This dramatization is adapted from the book The Master of Disguise by CIA operative Tony Mendez, and Joshuah Berman's 2007 Wired article "The Great Escape" about the "Canadian Caper", in which Mendez led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran, during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.

The film stars Affleck as Mendez with Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman in supporting roles, and was released in North America to critical and commercial success on October 12, 2012. The film was produced by Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, and George Clooney.

Upon release, Argo received widespread acclaim and also received seven nominations for the 85th Academy Awards and won three, for Best Film Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture. The film also earned five Golden Globe nominations, winning Best Picture - Drama and Best Director, while being nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Arkin. It won the award for the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 19th Screen Actors Guild Awards with Alan Arkin being nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. It also won Best Film, Best Editing, and Best Director at the 66th British Academy Film Awards.