Increased security on the red carpet
Two decades ago the Oscars were celebrated as the United States was launching a war in the Middle East.
In 2003, the Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theater occurred just days after U.S. troops invaded Iraq, elevating security concerns surrounding Hollywood’s biggest night so much that they tightened security like never before.
This time around — with concerns heightened not only because of a war with Iran, but also a recent shooting at a university in Virginia and an attack on a synagogue in Michigan — security is going to be even more ironclad, authorities said. (Los Angeles Times)
Iranian awards nomination
Director Jafar Panahi is nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay for his film A Simple Accident, which won the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Panahi, who has previously been imprisoned in Iran for making films in his country, has conducted his entire promotional campaign by denouncing the authoritarian regime of the Islamic Republic.
Directors Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni are nominated for the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for their debut feature, Cutting Through Rocks. The film follows the journey of Sara Shahverdi, the first Iranian woman elected to a municipal council, in a small rural village.
The filmmakers announced last week that the protagonist of their film will be unable to attend the Oscar ceremony due to the ongoing conflict and the travel ban imposed by the United States.
Protests?
According to rumors, Hollywood stars could wear pins in support of the Iranian people on the red carpet of the gala.
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Source: Los Angeles Times, “Oscars security tighter than ever: 1-mile police buffer amid Iran war”, March 14 2026.
