TEHRAN -- Iranian Oscar-nominated director Majid Majidi has said that his latest film “Muhammad (S), the Messenger of God”, which is about the childhood of the Prophet of Islam (S), shows a proper perception of Islam.

He made the remarks during a press conference held on Monday to announce the date for the Iranian premiere of the film, which will be on August 26.

Majidi said that the idea to make the film came to him in 2006, when he pulled his “The Willow Tree” out of a Danish film festival in protest against the publication of some Danish cartoons insulting the Prophet Muhammad (S) at that time.

He added that he decided to make a more practical response to the insulting action by making a film about the Prophet of Islam (S).

“We appear to have accomplished little in giving a true image of Islam and due to its ignorance or Islamophobic attitude, the Western world has presented an evil image of Islam,” Majidi stated.

He said that his film is the second serious film made about Islam after Syrian American director Moustapha Akkad’s “The Message”.

“I have tried to make a film that could develop friendship in the Islamic world, so I chose a period of the Prophet’s life, over which a consensus exists among Muslims,” Majidi said.

With a budget of over $50 million, the 171-minute movie is the most expensive film ever made in Iran in five years.

Renowned international craftsmen and artists such as director of photography Vittorio Storaro, editor Roberto Perpignani, special effects designer Scott E. Anderson, makeup designer Gianetto De Rossi and Indian composer A. R. Rahman collaborated in the production.

Majidi and some main members of his cast and crew will be in Canada on August 27 to attend the world premiere of “Muhammad (S), the Messenger of God” at the 39th Montreal World Film Festival.

“The Festival is very proud to be able to host the premiere of this important work, a film of very high artistry aimed at a very wide audience,” MWFF President Serge Losique previously said.

“There have been many movies dealing with key figures of the world’s great religions, including Jesus, Moses and Buddha, but this is only the second epic screen treatment of Islam’s founder,” he added.

Photo: Director Majid Majidi attends a press conference on the set for “Muhammad (S), the Messenger of God” near Tehran on August 17, 2015 to announce the date for the Iranian premiere of the film. (Mehr/Masud Saki)

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