Behind the Wall of Silence

TEHRAN.(Iranart) - M asoud Jafari-Jozani’s latest film “Behind the Wall of Silence” on the scandal related to France’s HIV-infected blood sales to Iran in the 1980s, hit cinema screens on Wednesday.

According to Sputnik, in 1991, doctor and journalist Anne-Marie Casteret revealed that France knowingly distributed blood contaminated with HIV to patients with haemophilia, a disorder in which blood does not clot normally, including those in Iran.

Some 1,250 haemophiliacs in France are believed to have been infected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, before screening began in August 1985. Of these, 400 died.

An official investigation showed that senior health officials had ordered the continued use of the blood-clotting factor that hemophiliacs need, despite knowing that it was contaminated.

Even after the supplies were banned, contaminated blood was exported to several countries including Iran, causing the infection of 1,800 people and the death of over 100.

The film is co-written by Jafari-Jozani and his daughter Sahar who is also cast in the leading role. Other cast members of the all-star movie include Arman Darvish, Mehdi Ahmadi, Roya Teymourian, Amin Tarokh, Behzad Farahani, Sima Tirandaz, Shaqayeq Farahani, Fariba Motekhases, Hossein Pakdel, Siamak Safari and Parviz Pour-Hosseini.

Azadi, Koroush and Megamall cineplexes as well as Farhang, Iran and Shokoufeh cinemas are some of the venues screening the film.

source: Financial Tribune