Iranian Filmmaker Majid Majidi Denounces U.S. War as ‘Midday Meal’ Emerges as Busan Fest Standout
Iranian director Majid Majidi used his appearance at the Busan International Film Festival to condemn the US military campaign against Iran, citing civilian deaths and damage to homes. He said he had initially planned to decline the invitation, but travelled to present a message from the Iranian people; his film, *Midday Meal*, has become a competition standout and is seen by some festivalgoers as a contender for the top prize.
Majidi said around 150,000 homes had been damaged or destroyed and 156 civilians, including 120 schoolchildren, were killed in the bombing of a school in Minab. A UN fact-finding mission said it had reasonable grounds to believe US forces were responsible and that the strike was a war crime; the US State Department rejected the report’s credibility. *Midday Meal* follows a teacher in an impoverished village who tries to keep his school open after a benefactor’s death ends the free meals that had drawn children to class.
- Majid Majidi condemned the US campaign against Iran at Busan.
- His film *Midday Meal* is a festival competition standout.
- The film centres on school meals and children’s access to education.
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Majid Majidi is an Iranian film director whose work has often focused on children and everyday life. The Busan International Film Festival, held in South Korea, is a major international event where films compete for awards and filmmakers meet audiences from around the world.
The US and Iran have a long history of political tension, and military action between them has caused civilian deaths and damage to homes. A UN fact-finding mission said there were reasonable grounds to believe US forces were responsible for a deadly strike on a school in Minab; the US State Department disputed the report’s credibility.
Midday Meal is set in a poor village, where a teacher tries to keep a school open after free meals stop being provided. Its story links education and food, issues that can shape children’s chances in communities with few resources.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Majidi’s condemnation reflects the moral and legal case that civilian deaths and damage to homes demand scrutiny and accountability, especially given the UN mission’s finding that there were reasonable grounds to believe US forces were responsible for the Minab school strike and that it was a war crime. His appearance also gives voice to people affected by the campaign, while the film’s focus on children’s education and hardship lends human context to that appeal.
The case against
The US State Department’s rejection of the UN report’s credibility points to a reasonable concern that grave accusations should not be treated as settled without a process and evidence the parties regard as reliable. A critic might also argue that a festival appearance and a film’s reception cannot establish responsibility for military actions, and that Majidi’s claims about casualties and damage need independent verification.