Zoe Craig

Watch Oscar-Nominated Film The Salesman For Free In Trafalgar Square

See Oscar-nominated film The Salesman for free in Trafalgar Square later this month.

On Sunday 26 February, London will celebrate the Oscars by screening the UK premiere of one of the nominated films in Trafalgar Square.

The film's director Asghar Farhadi won't be attending the Oscars ceremony in Hollywood because of Trump's so-called 'Muslim ban'.

This London screening is part of the #LondonIsOpen campaign by the Mayor to celebrate the capital's diversity, and is a show of solidarity for those people across the world affected by the so-called 'Muslim ban'.

The Salesman, directed by award-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, is the story of Emad (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti), a young couple living in Tehran, who are rehearsing for Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.

Taraneh Alidoosti in The Salesman.

When their flat becomes damaged, they move into another apartment.

But the new place has a violent past, and a terrifying event in their new home dramatically changes their lives, creating a simmering tension between husband and wife.

This critically-acclaimed film won Best Screenplay at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, with Shahab Hosseini winning Best Actor. It has been nominated in the Best Foreign Film category in the Academy Awards, which take place at midnight (London time) on 26 February.

Farhadi is refusing to go to the Oscars, regardless of whether he is offered special dispensation to attend by the US Government, in solidarity with those affected by Trump's ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries entering the USA.

Taraneh Alidoosti and Shahab Hosseini in The Salesman.

Farhadi, says, "Screening The Salesman in Trafalgar Square has a great symbolic value for me. The gathering of the audience around The Salesman in this famous London square is a symbol of unity against the division and separation of people.

"I offer my warmest thanks to the Mayor of London and the cinema community for this generous initiative. I welcome and appreciate this invaluable show of solidarity."

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, said, "On the night of the Oscars, it’s absolutely fantastic to be able to screen the UK premiere of The Salesman in Trafalgar Square. I’m delighted to welcome people from across the capital and beyond to share in this celebration of London as an international hub of creativity and as a beacon of diversity.

"Londoners have always prided themselves on their openness to the world, and what better way to do that than to come together to watch this powerful film in one of the world’s most famous public spaces."

The Mayor is organising the screening on Sunday 26 February alongside other film industry stars. Go along and you'll hear readings and speeches from actress Lily Cole, producer Kate Wilson, and film-makers Mark Donne and Mike Leigh.

If you can't make it to Trafalgar Square, distributor Curzon Artificial Eye will be organising screenings of The Salesman across the country on 26 February. Visit www.thesalesmanfilm.co.uk to find out more.