The Oscar-nominated cowriter of “It Was Just an Accident” has been released from an Iranian prison 17 days after his arrest. Mehdi Mahmoudian was arrested in Tehran shortly after signing a statement condemning Islamic Republic leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the regime’s violent crackdown on demonstrators. On Tuesday, he was released from the Nowshahr prison, along with two other signatories of the statement, Vida Rabbani and Abdollah Momeni. All three were released on bail. Mahmoudian is nominated for best original screenplay at the Academy Awards, along with Nader Saeivar, Shadmehr Rastin and director Jafar Panahi. The film is also nominated for best international feature, as a submission from France.
