If a boycott falls in the forest...

The threatened boycott of the Venice Film Festival by the Iranian cultural ministry will, most likely, have a relatively slight impact. Alireza Sajjadpur of that organisation, which objects to EU sanctions on the country, has stated that commissars were currently “assessing the situation”.

“Considering that the EU has imposed the strongest inhumane and illegal sanctions against Iran,” he added, “we are naturally thinking of boycotting the Venice film festival.”

Iranian cinema has been extremely strong over the last few decades, but, as it happens, no films from that country are currently scheduled to compete for the Golden Lion at Venice.