Iran wants to sue Hollywood over ‘unrealistic portrayal’ in ‘Argo’

Argo’s Oscar win may be in the rear-view mirror for Hollywood already, but Iran is still annoyed over the film’s Best Picture win. Iran reportedly plans to sue Hollywood over the country’s portrayal in Ben Affleck’s film set during the Iranian hostage crisis.

The Associated Press reported that Iranian media, including a pro-reform paper called Shargh, confirmed that the country is talking with the famous French lawyer, Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, about how to proceed with a lawsuit. Coutant-Peyre is famous for representing international terrorist Carlos the Jackal in court.

Iranian officials recently screened the film, deciding that it had a “unrealistic portrayal” of the country. A closed theater screened it on Monday and led to the decision to sue.

Iran denounced Affleck’s film for months. In January, an Iranian filmmaker said that he would make his own film of the events. After the film won three Oscars last month, the government called it anti-Iranian and CIA propaganda.

Argo is about the escape of six hostages who lived in the Canadian embassy. It won Oscars for editing, adapted screenplay, and Best Picture. Affleck, Grant Heslov, and George Clooney produced it and Warner Bros. released it.

image: NBC