The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Trump Launches War with Iran and Refuses to Explain... Anything | Jafar Panahi

Episode Date: March 3, 2026

Jon Stewart dives into America and Israel’s impromptu attack on Iran, Trump’s laid-back war announcement from the Mar-a-Lago basement, and MAGA’s refusal to sell the American people on the plan,... purpose, and duration of the war. Plus, Jordan Klepper reveals America’s calculated war strategy: winging it. Award-winning filmmaker Jafar Panahi sits down with Jon and his interpreter Sheida Dayani to discuss his latest film, “It Was Just An Accident,” which is currently nominated for two Academy Awards. They talk about suffering a 20-year ban from filmmaking under the Iranian regime, the difference between a socially engaged filmmaker and one who caters to audiences, displaying the difference between humanity and authoritarianism through characters' doubt, and why, despite censorship and mass killings, he continues to return to Iran. --- Right now, go to https://quince.com/dailyshow for free shipping and 365-day returns. To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit https://Hims.com/dailyshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 You're listening to Comedy Central. Those trusted journalists at Comedy Central. I will be talking with just the most incredible director, fabulous director, Iranian director, Jafar Panahi. Right now he's got an Oscar-nominated film called It Was Just an Accident, which explores the trauma of living under an oppressive, censorious, theocratic dictatorship. I'm not going to tell you how it ends.
Starting point is 00:01:14 But, um... But, anyway. we're back, it's Monday. And while we had originally planned a different show, I thought it would be a kind of a trenchant, really superbly witty episode on the unforeseen economic effects
Starting point is 00:01:29 of government subsidies on while intentioned social service programs, it was going to be a bang. That was Friday. And a lot has blown up since then. As America has once again returned to the only East, we can't get
Starting point is 00:01:49 enough of exploding. the middle one in our 20-year recurring segment nothing bad can happen it can only good happen Saturday morning American Israel launched a surprise war against Iran I called a surprise war
Starting point is 00:02:27 because here's what one of the mediators said after negotiations on Friday I am confident and in my assessment of the way the talks are going, the peace deal is within our reach. But it turns out the bombshit button was much closer. The devastating effects of a regional war
Starting point is 00:02:54 have made everyone very nervous and one person very happy. This enables us to do what I have long hoped to do for 40 years. I've had four decades of regime change blue balls. But of course, the announcement that our nation, nation as at war is the most solemn moment of any president's tenure, and an opportunity to reassure an anxious nation and to reaffirm the righteousness of the cause.
Starting point is 00:03:23 A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Yeah, I'm sorry, can I just jump in here real quick? This is how we're doing this? 2 a.m. Mar-a-Lago basement? No lighting? You don't even have one of those influencer halo? things.
Starting point is 00:03:48 Just go down in the basement, and this is what we're wearing. Blazer, no tie, shirt unbuttoned. Looking more like the father of the bride settling up with the caterer? Is that what we're doing? And not to nitpick, obviously, but baseball hat. We're going with a baseball hat for a war of choice. Oh, I'm going to go down and make my war announcement.
Starting point is 00:04:13 Don't forget the heck and then your head. It's a war of choice. You could have done this at the White House in a suit in the I-killed bin Laden hallway. But no. You decided to go with Vacation House Trucker Hat, guy who was about to make an announcement at his club's
Starting point is 00:04:58 member member tournament. It's classy. Reminds me of FDR's Day that We'll Live in Infamy Speech. Nothing to fear, but we should at least be thankful. The hat is on forwards.
Starting point is 00:05:37 We're taking it. our nation to war. What's that? Come back tomorrow. Dressed for the war you want. And then you can give us perhaps a more sober launching of this incredibly consequential moment. The United States and its partners
Starting point is 00:06:06 have launched Operation Epic Fury. I'm going to jump in right there, please. Fury? Is this a war, or did the Paul brothers launch another energy drink? Stop letting them on the millennials name shit. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I got off track.
Starting point is 00:06:31 How did Operation Epic Fury start? This morning, the U.S. and Israel launching a major, wide-scale daytime attack on Iran. Smoke scene rising near government offices and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Hamini's residence. Ooh, that's got to rattle, Chameh. Although Hamine has got to be on high alert. I mean, I doubt he's anywhere near a location that obvious, given the advanced surveillance he's been under from American and Israeli intelligence. This is the moment
Starting point is 00:06:57 that officials say the 86-year-old Ayatollah was killed. And he stayed in his old people are so fucking stubborn. Anything, sir, please. You are in danger here. I'm not leaving. This is my house.
Starting point is 00:07:27 I didn't ask you to stay. You can go. At 86, man, are the virgins going to be disappointed? Murderist dictator? At the front of his erectile dysfunction. People, but, you know,
Starting point is 00:08:16 Viagra's a serious. No, America apparently had to start an entire war to kill an 86-year-old man in ill health and not wait, I don't know, three weeks to let saturated fat do its thing. But just so you know, Israel and America made their move, and now Iran will make their move. Iran is widening the scope of its response this morning. Neighbors across the region dragged into the chaos. attacks at multiple bases, including those in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Qatar, Kuwait, Bahra, the United Arab Emirates.
Starting point is 00:08:57 Basically, the whole of the Gulf. It's also fired on Europe for the first time, aiming at Cyprus. What? Cyprus? I don't even know where that is. Is Cyprus even on that risk board? I don't even think it's around there. So wait a minute, wait a minute, let me get this straight. America and Israel attack Iraq.
Starting point is 00:09:19 and Iran's answer is to just fucking attack everybody. You know, having been in a bar fight or two in my life, I'm pretty sure the worst thing you can do during a two-on-one beatdown is slap everyone else. Hey, not every part of me is getting punched.
Starting point is 00:09:43 What are you doing? What are you doing? For more on the situation in Iran, we go live to Istanbul with our very own Jordan Klepper. Jordan. Thank you, John. I'm in Istanbul right now, which is not in Iran, but close enough to kind of look like I am if you squids. What's the latest over there, Jordan?
Starting point is 00:10:11 I'll tell you the latest, John. We're fucking back. USA and Israel. USA and Israel. Oh, it feels so good to be back at war. Those four weeks since Venezuela were so boring. Oh, man. Things were so dull we had to pretend to care about hockey.
Starting point is 00:10:33 Dark stuff. I think it's clear this is exactly why America voted for Trump. Yeah, but is it, though, Jordan? I mean, I seem to remember Trump saying he was explicitly against new wars. Well, John, you're very old, and your memory is cascading down a long, dark road into oblivion. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but I believe I have a clip. No new wars. No new wars. We don't need the wars.
Starting point is 00:11:08 Hmm, you know what? That's not how I remember it. I'm pretty sure this is what he said. New wars. New wars. We need the wars. Oh, ho. Seems pretty cut and dry.
Starting point is 00:11:24 Or do you not believe your own eyes, John? No, that... You edited that. Really? Really? Oh, you looked like... I was at a rally during the campaign and watched him say this.
Starting point is 00:11:39 Me like, me like war It makes me rock hard Oh Hey John Hey John boy Do you like apples And can you say yes So I can insult you?
Starting point is 00:11:58 Yeah sure I like Well how do you like them apples? Not that I love his under It's not that clever You walked right into that one dummy Jordan the location changed on every syllable of that clip.
Starting point is 00:12:15 There's no way you watched him say that. You know what? Trump thought you might say that, which is why he also said this. You are wrong. John, Jordan, watch me say this. He is a beautiful guy. Also, every time I think about Jordan,
Starting point is 00:12:28 it makes me rock hard. I really don't think that Donald Trump talked about how you arouse him. Oh, you know, he thought you might say that, too, John. No, no, Jordan, look. The concern for me is that Trump doesn't seem to have a plan here. Yeah, exactly. What do you think we've lost every war?
Starting point is 00:12:55 since Vietnam. We had a plan. This time, Trump's doing the sensible thing and just fucking winging it. No, you can't just wing it. You can't wing a war. Yeah, yeah, you can. Just sort of come off with it on the spot, like jazz. Skibbby, bob, drone strike. Shibbidi, whoa,
Starting point is 00:13:12 tomahawk missile. Salt peanuts, salt be nuts, inevitable sectarian violence. Jazz hands. We've been scarred by arrogant American action that has led to unforeseen consequences and ultimately defeat. That's a negative attitude.
Starting point is 00:13:32 If the gold medal hockey team had that attitude, we wouldn't have won. Best day of my life. You just said two minutes ago that you were only pretending to care about hockey. Not how I remember it. Pretty sure this is what I said. I'll tell you, John feels good to care about USA hockey.
Starting point is 00:13:51 So, so good. It makes me rock hard. Ooh. Ooh. John, I forget. You said you were a fan of apples. All right, I didn't say. Jordan Klepper, everybody. Thank you so much. The interesting thing about this war, which just started, was that it was clearly a long time in the planning.
Starting point is 00:14:23 And yet the American people have heard very little that is consistent about the war's justification, or ultimate aims. In fact, the normally loquacious president had an opportunity with the national press on Sunday night after flying back from Mar-a-Lago to the White House, where I'm sure he'd want to clarify the public's uncertainty and reassure. President Trump tonight came home from the White House. He usually stops and talked to the press. He completely ignored us. Instead, stopped and admired some new statues that were being put into the Rose Garden. Come on.
Starting point is 00:14:55 That's fake news. He's not a dottering Mr. Magoo having full-on conversations with inanimate, sculpted bronze. Mr. President, who do you want to lead her on? unbelievable statutes, you see. Sanders were 14 feet tall. It's so smooth. By the way, if the president isn't being forthcoming in a time of war, it's not his power
Starting point is 00:15:40 to declare war anyway. Where's Congress on this? The House is set to vote on the war powers resolution on Thursday. This coming Thursday? The war happened. This is Trump's whole presidency. He does whatever the fuck he wants. And then a few days later, Congress is like,
Starting point is 00:16:07 excuse me, roll your window down. Excuse me. Excuse me, sir? Throw your window down. Excuse me. Excuse me, sir. You're not allowed to knock down the East Wayne without a permit from the Homeowners Association.
Starting point is 00:16:27 Let's slide this time, but next time, you will lose access to the clubhouse. I swear to God, the United States Congress is like male nipples. Why? Why do you exist? What do you do? You do nothing. You just sit there waiting for angels
Starting point is 00:16:52 to the... grab you when we die. I can't think of anything more dismissive and arrogant than this president not directly addressing the American people in explaining this war more thoroughly. Well, good morning. This is not a so-called regime-change war.
Starting point is 00:17:14 But the regime sure did change. Oh, for God's sakes. I stand corrected. Yes, apparently the responsibility of articulating our nation's military strategy in Iran fell to Alpha Beta alum
Starting point is 00:17:28 Pete Hegzeth whose humility and just the facts ma'am approach made him the perfect vessel for this important task. We're not going to go into the exercise of what we will or will not do. We would never in front of a press pool lay out how long that may take. Here's exactly how far we'll go.
Starting point is 00:17:46 Here's what we're willing to do and not do. It's foolishness. We're not dumb about it. Is there a concern of this spiraling into a longer war and then one for the chairman when you're done? Did you not hear my remarks? Looks like somebody's been chugging a little too much epic fury.
Starting point is 00:18:09 I know you're the defense secretary, but you don't need to get so defensive. You don't put a four-week timeline. Are you saying that's wrong? I heard the question about four weeks. It's the typical NBC sort of gotcha type question. Typical gotcha? How long will the war last, sir?
Starting point is 00:18:30 Zing? But of course, the basic gist of the briefing is that the United States will not tolerate a country that worships this kind of supreme leader. It took the 47th president, a fighter who always puts America first to finally draw the line. It takes guts to actually enforce it,
Starting point is 00:18:48 and our president has guts. There's no better communicator than our president. He has shown an ability to do that other presidents can't quite seem to have the aperture to do. You're right. Nobody's got the laser focus of one Donald Trump. Let's go to the president at the White House today, giving brief remarks about the war, before a Medal of Honor ceremony.
Starting point is 00:19:07 Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that. We'll do it. Whatever somebody said today, they said, oh, well, the president wants to do it really quickly after that he'll get bored. I don't get bored. Laser-focused.
Starting point is 00:19:30 You sure? Don't get bored. You're not some three-year-old that gets easily distracted by something shiny on the wall. We have a lot of great service members here with us, too, in this beautiful building, isn't it? Beautiful? We're adding on to the building a little bit. We're improving the building. See that nice drape? I picked those drapes in my first term. I always like gold, but I think we can save a lot of money. I just saved curtains. But, and it will be, it'll be spectacular. It'll be the most beautiful ballroom. I believe it's because I built many a ballroom.
Starting point is 00:20:07 Believe it's going to be the most beautiful ballroom anywhere in the world. I can't believe it. Our bombs are now smarter than our president. So, well... Anyway, back to the war. So will any congressional leaders be more forthcoming with the American people? Is anybody going to let the American people in on the plan here? Is there a plan?
Starting point is 00:20:48 Does the president have a plan to guarantee that that happens? No, it's not his job or my job to do this. How many times I have to tell you? Why are you trying to ruin my war? Why? I just started it. I'm having such a good time. I bought a new suit and shiny a shoe.
Starting point is 00:21:10 The kind of put a nickel in for good luck in my war. Now, if you excuse me, I have some celebrity canapes and a lime rickie with my name on it. Good day. I said, good day. This is Trump's America. Maybe I'm old-fashioned. But even regimes I disagreed with,
Starting point is 00:21:27 respected the American people enough or felt some obligation to at least lie to us in prime time. Did anybody get filled in on this? An Israeli military official I spoke to told me that there were thousands of hours of planning between U.S. and Israeli military officials. Oh, anything for the bombing buddy Bibi. You told Israel more than you told us. But like giving a handjob on your birthright trip, it was a secret that stayed in Israel. Yeah, they did it. They know.
Starting point is 00:22:06 On the bus, under the blanket. They know. That's all. But all this parsing is meaningless in the first place. We can expose their hypocrisy and contradictions and arrogance till we're blue in the Congress. The right doesn't care. They supported Trump for a very particular reason.
Starting point is 00:22:34 A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote for war. A vote for Donald Trump is a vote for a man who wants to end wars. The president has a commitment to peace, frankly, unlike anything we have seen. He is the great dealmaker, the art of the deal. He can negotiate the end of wars around the world. He is America's dealmaker in chief. He leads from a position of securing peace through strength. That's why they voted for him, the doctrine, peace through strength.
Starting point is 00:23:01 And now they support Trump for a very different reason. The president's not afraid to take action with hard power when necessary. We have a president that has finally shown the strength and boldness that is needed. The Iranian government found out what the Trump doctrine is all about, and that is mess around and find out. Donald Trump has the guts, the balls, and the vision to do things that nobody else will do. I'm going to leave the balls thing alone for now. But how quickly the right has gone from peace through strength to peace through war.
Starting point is 00:23:39 And we're all just along for the ride in a war with no clear purpose, no end in sight. It's all just at the whims of Donald Trump. You know, you know what I need right now? My comfort monkey. I need my comfort monkey. It actually works. You know, I went after poor Punch pretty hard last week, said some things. But I get it now.
Starting point is 00:24:13 This does help a lot. By the way, it was crazy. They were sold out. And this might get me in a little bit of trouble. I had to go to Ichikawa and take this from Punch. When we come back, Jafar Panahi will be here. Don't go away. A thoughtfully built wardrobe comes down to pieces that mix well and last.
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Starting point is 00:26:54 See website for details, restrictions, and important safety information. Actual price will depend on product and subscription plan. His latest, it was just an accident, is currently nominated for two Academy Awards. This is welcome to the program, Jafar Panahi. Welcome, Sir, I am such an enormous fan of your work.
Starting point is 00:27:48 It is trenchant, brave, you've been banned from making filmmaking for 20 years, yes? A film-sazes for 20 years, do you? One of the most of the making, film, name of writing, I had a 20-year sentence that banned me from making films, writing scripts, and traveling abroad. I had to my program to make you know-mast-one your words that you've done with you just said in Iran to hit you. I was watching your show now, if you say 100th of what you just said in Iran, the sentence will be execution.
Starting point is 00:28:35 I would be killed. It's just my question. Because we're in our films even to one even to one hundredth of what you said here. Because in our films we don't even get to 100th of what you said here. And,
Starting point is 00:28:50 there are many filmstasers who are in there are many Iranian filmmakers now who are in prison. In the two months that, the last few months of
Starting point is 00:29:03 one of our friends of our work of our cogede and in the past two months that there were protests, one of our filmmaker friends got killed on the international states. Yeah, you know, you're with a hushkomeness of what you just can't even a hundred-of-his-harm of you not give you,
Starting point is 00:29:20 you're dealing with a state, with a regime that will not allow you to even say one hundredth of what you just said. Right. And the people for this, uh, in the in the area come to come to make up to get to where they can't
Starting point is 00:29:37 enthack con. And people are on the street now because they want to reach a point that they could criticize anyone. But that's even a time of a chasahraught and unlawful,
Starting point is 00:29:50 but they will not even tolerate a peaceful protest. Because they're, Raghbarr, and that's why they start shooting people on masks. And committing this to do and committing mass murders.
Starting point is 00:30:04 I'm sorry if I messed up the program to my I'm sorry if I messed up the mood of your show. Not even close. I'm in awe of your courage. You're right. We often take for granted even the most.
Starting point is 00:30:23 Our fear is we're heading in the wrong direction in terms of being censored in those types of things. But so clearly our perspective is warped because in our country, freedom is, we consider it a birthright and settled law and why we fight so hard to preserve it when we see it threatened. Which is why you were, I think, such a real hero of mine. So you were banned from making films. So what you did is you made a film called This is Not a Film.
Starting point is 00:31:03 The Josh, a film is... ...notive you've got to do you see. No, but I don't. It's not really about being a hero. It's not really about being a hero. When you talk about heroism, you have to say, compared to what? Nisbet to be that 10, 15,
Starting point is 00:31:23 in the prison? Is it compared to the person who's been in prison for 10 or 15 years? I've only been imprisoned for a few months. But I've... But you've been in prison to do it. But you've been in prison. They imprisoned you for making movies, and your answer was,
Starting point is 00:31:45 how do you like this movie? I just tried to do my job. I've just tried to do my job. But that's the fact that you feel compelled, and you could live. anywhere when you're here for the award season you'll go to LA where will you go after that in Los Angeles mm-hmm to be Iran to be clear I'm not crazy about LA either so I understand if the choice is no I'm just my country it's just my country
Starting point is 00:32:27 but how is your name is my job of my job is Half of my being is there, my family is there. I'm, for four months before, that for the campaign of Oscar were all of them there and I lived there permanently until three, four months ago when I came out because of the Oscar campaign.
Starting point is 00:32:50 My father, my mother, my brothers, my family, all of the other are there. My son, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, my colleagues, everyone is there. When half of your own
Starting point is 00:33:05 your there is, so how can't be out? When half of you is there, then how could you be out? See, this is what I'm noticing in America now, and it may seem quaint. You know, when you said it earlier, how can I be a hero if other people have been imprisoned longer? And we think here, what rights we may be fighting for seem quaint, comparatively to the mass murdering of the Mullahs
Starting point is 00:33:32 and the terrible censorship and the way it lives. But what I think breeds optimism and hope is what you just said, which is you love where you're from, and as hard as it is, you fight to create the kind of world that you would rather live in in the place that you love with the people that you love. People, to every shape, to every new way, to meet with any form or way. I'm with car-kard-a-mobot-mere. I'm with any way to meet with any way in the place where I do,
Starting point is 00:34:24 and someone else might resist in another form. I mean, over the 40-pain-dose-phing-pies. in that the death of a good who's in the two days in the time in the
Starting point is 00:34:43 in 10 hours of 30,000 people were killed in the past 45 days in that mass killing which happened only in two days and in fact only in 10 hours
Starting point is 00:34:58 about 40,000 people got killed people got killed. Then, well, the people were shocked people were in a calm, a azzardarry, and of course people were shocked, and they went into sorrow and a state of mourning.
Starting point is 00:35:16 The regime even abandoned mourning. Then the regime even banned mourning. But the people came and they found a way around that. But people found a way around that. And their Mazar of their Mazar of their Azizan's music and raced them.
Starting point is 00:35:36 And they started dancing on the graves of their loved ones and their children. And they played music and danced to that music. The child, their son, their daughter, who may have to beaise all, they were a rach of Mard,
Starting point is 00:35:56 they were elementary school kids. elementary school kids or their children who were about to get married, they came up with the dance of death. In fact, there was a new life. But it wasn't death, it was a form of life. Well, I'm going to say, even in the death, they're having to make them what I'm trying to say is that everyone will find the way to show the resistance,
Starting point is 00:36:22 even in death. So I'm in my job, I would get them, to find a way to work for work for a combat, to and I know that this ma'amette has a I too will find a way in my job to work and to resist,
Starting point is 00:36:38 and I know that that resistance will come with a price. I mean I'm not doing what people do much more than than what we do. So I'm not doing anything extraordinary. What people are doing is much bigger than what I'm doing. I, because of filmstates of the I'm a socialized-examai-emay-me-y-know-shahead.
Starting point is 00:36:56 Because I am a socially engaged filmmaker, I am a witness. I witness the time period. From what in my family, from what happens in my society and around me. I'm not doing any other than I do not. But that what I'm making to do a new shahadet in this doorkman. I'm not doing activity. anything extraordinary, I'm not giving any particular opinion. What I'm doing is witnessing what I have seen in this time period.
Starting point is 00:37:30 We have this time period. We have our own, we know, this country, we have to live in there we want to live, and for the living, to do that, we have to pay them and these hazeanahs. And the people of my country have accepted that they will have to pay a price, because they love their country and they want to live in it.
Starting point is 00:37:55 But that, sir, is what's so moving to me, I think, is the idea that for you to just live a human experience that I take for granted every day as an act of utter defiance is it shows you what you would consider the ordinary are capable of when pushed. And to see it in your work, and I think the film really, explores that. Your film, and I assume that it is influenced by your time in Evan
Starting point is 00:38:29 prison, which is the terrible, notorious prison. I assume that it's this journey of five people who had been tortured, four that have been tortured in the other along for the ride. Each one representing, it seems, a different way of processing that trauma. Is that what you were expressing through this? Just an observation of what that trauma had done for people? In fact, this was my experience of not only was, the experience of my and other zendanians.
Starting point is 00:39:04 In fact, this was not my experience alone. It was my experience and the other prisoners. And when one a a prison one gets to a person who to a person who wants to do they want to do the first thing they want to do when a prisoner of conscience enters the prison system the first thing they do is they interrogate that person
Starting point is 00:39:25 You know, if you have a case of a case of best of the door and they're a cloth and they give you to give you a question that a man who Pohsard Terror without having an attorney they will give you a piece of
Starting point is 00:39:44 of paper and a pen and they will blindfold you and put you in front of a wall and you will have to respond to the questions that a person behind you asks. You know that last, at that moment, in the heart of your auditory sense that works most. Your other senses don't really engage. And you, that last thing you think that, really, if I'm I can hear this man or what I can't be to hear of it. This is,
Starting point is 00:40:22 this is the person of my how is it's how you're going to recognize this person outside jail? What you're thinking is, how old is this person? What does this person look like? And what I'm going to do if I encounter this person? This is a question that is in your mind
Starting point is 00:40:43 This is a question constantly. This is a community is a collective experience. But the other is, when you're when you're going to a public war, then you meet other prisoners. But you go into a public war, then you meet other prisoners. And you always talk to them every day.
Starting point is 00:41:03 And you always talk to them every day. You, in the way, some of the other, I've been incarcerated for five or ten years. Some people have been incarcerated for five or ten years. for five or ten years. They just talk because it's past time. I mean, when I was talking to them,
Starting point is 00:41:20 I don't think I'd like to make a film. When I was talking to them, I really was not thinking that one day I'm going to make a film about it. But the day that when that door was up was out of the window out of the room back, I was back to, and, I saw, and I looked at a diwar of a long But the day that the gate opened and I was released, I turned around for a second, and I saw that big wall behind me.
Starting point is 00:41:50 I said, well, I'm, what I'm doing? What I'm doing? And I asked myself, what is it that I'm doing outside? My friends are still in there. That's when I thought that there was a burden weighing heavy on my shoulders. And it kept getting heavier by the day. And then you feel that you're not you have to them anymore, until the day that I couldn't tolerate carrying it anymore and I had to unburden.
Starting point is 00:42:25 Now, I'm, I'm saying, what can I can't do? So to put that burden down, I asked myself, what can I do, and I realized I have to make a film about them. From the film, from the experience that I heard you, the talk of the people were
Starting point is 00:42:47 and the end of it was the film. A film about that collective experience and about the stories that I heard from every single one of those people, the result became this one. In fact, it was not a tachere that war that on the dush of my own douch and in fact it wasn't my fault, it was the fault of that burden that kept getting heavier.
Starting point is 00:43:08 getting heavier. That bar, that's the responsibility of the film is that duty, it's that social duty of the filmmaker. You might feel a burden about the future of your country. You might feel a burden about the future of your country. To everyone be able to know of a law to make you to know that you want to
Starting point is 00:43:36 to attack try to put in the barrow and you'll put it and your anyone going against the law or trying to hurt the law you might want to try to say what you need to say But in my
Starting point is 00:43:52 my country that is a crime And that would be putting that burden down But in my country putting that burden down is a crime Because of it's a lot And many people were incarcerated for it. But you did something, I think, in your work that really demonstrated, that showed the difference between humanity and authoritarianism. And that is doubt.
Starting point is 00:44:19 Your characters, one of the main threads through it is they're not sure if this is the man who tortured them in prison, and they wrestled with their doubt. And it's what made you realize they had retained what made them human because the authoritarian regime has only certainty and treats people not as individuals. It didn't matter if they were guilty, innocent in this prison. They're just, they're nothing. But your characters still maintain their humanity to look at this torturer. and want to see him as an individual. And by showing that, I can't tell you how it articulated and illuminated what it means to be free and to be human.
Starting point is 00:45:16 And one of the most interesting things is when the one gentleman, as soon as he saw his captor, he reached down and he felt his leg to feel the scars, to make sure that those were the scars that that while blindfolded, he had felt before, to know if this was the man or not. It's so beautifully done, sir. I thank you for the work. Thank you. Thank you. We're only two films in the world.
Starting point is 00:45:48 Thank you. We only have two types of filmmakers in the world. Now you're going to tell us the types! 95% of filmersers are people who are people who are. What people are people who are after what the audience wants. I mean they're saliagash their what they want to them, they want to them, meaning they adapt their taste to the taste of the audience
Starting point is 00:46:16 and they give the audience what it wants. And I'm talking about everywhere around the world, not just in Iran. Five percent they're, they're not, I'm this way to look and the the people who are but another 5% says, this is how I look
Starting point is 00:46:34 and now it's on the audience to come and find me and that you're with the sight of your own with your own yourself you can't allow you and you're not going with the taste of the audience and you're just going according to your own taste
Starting point is 00:46:54 you will not anything, you will not allow anything to dictate you. You will not allow anyone to tell you what to make. That's when you will make the reality. And that's when you will make the reality. In fact, in that reality, everyone is a human being. To everyone is a human being.
Starting point is 00:47:18 And you will have a humanistic look on everyone. A man, good and bad, much, much, there is no purely good or purely evil person. evil person. But we only have dysfunctional systems. In this structure of maelhobe that people are this kind of and it is that dysfunctional system that has divided people as such. This is the special of cinema-isthenay-is.
Starting point is 00:47:45 This is a characteristic of a socially engaged cinema. The Noghancean to everyone A humanistic look on everybody. And by the end that the charkh of chushionate to him to the to a future in which the cycle of violence comes to an end. So this is an enthap, this is how to film-based, where do you have a choice. So it is a choice of what kind of films to make
Starting point is 00:48:17 and what group to belong to. When you're just of that one of that's-de-your-go-to-hote, When you're in the 5% category, it will automatically tell you how to see things. How to look at people. How to see the world. Thank you. Thank you for being an artist. Thank you for being in the 5% and thank you for making art that fills us with the possible. Truly.
Starting point is 00:48:47 Jafar, Panahi, it was just an accident, is now streaming on here. We'll be right back. We're going to check him with your host for the rest of the week. Mr. Michael Costa, what's on there? John, the Texas primary is this week. It's an exciting race between two Democratic superstars to see who will get the opportunity to just lose Texas in November.
Starting point is 00:49:33 Well, no, I've heard that they may turn it blue. I've heard they may actually have a shot this year. That's spoken like a true Mets fan, huh? Love that optimism, John. No, this is, hear me out. This is their year. People say that every year, and I know. But this year it's different.
Starting point is 00:49:51 It's just, you got to believe. Michael, you got to believe. Are you talking about the Democrats or the mess? I don't. Michael Costa, everybody. Explore more shows from the Daily Show podcast universe by searching The Daily Show, wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central,
Starting point is 00:50:13 and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast.

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