Iranian Films Head to Oscars Amid US-Israel Strikes, Political Turmoil

• Two Iranian films, "Cutting Through Rocks" and "It Was Just an Accident," are nominated for Oscars amidst escalating US-Israel strikes and political tensions in Iran.
• "Cutting Through Rocks," directed by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, is the first Iranian documentary nominated for Best Documentary Feature, focusing on a rural midwife.
• Filmmakers Khaki and Eyni express difficulty celebrating due to recent US-Israel strikes that killed nearly 1,500 Iranians and the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei.
• Jafar Panahi's "It Was Just an Accident" competes in Best International Feature Film, marking his first movie after years of restrictions by Iranian authorities.
• Panahi, previously detained and banned from filmmaking, expressed constant concern for people in Tehran during protests, even while promoting his film abroad.