Oscar boycott director Asghar Farhadi's film 'The Salesman' gets free screening at London's Trafalgar square

Thousands of film lovers were expected to come together in London's Trafalgar Square on Sunday for a screening of "The Salesman" by Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who has boycotted the Oscars over US President Donald Trump's policies.

Just hours before the Oscar ceremony in Los Angeles, wherethe film is in the running for the Best Foreign Language Film award, the iconic central London landmark will transform into agiant open-air cinema for the 4.30pm (1630 GMT) showing.

"It will be a great opportunity to showcase how London isan international hub of creativity and a global beacon foropenness and diversity," said London mayor Sadiq Khan, who will speak before the screening.

The Iranian filmmaker will not attend the Oscars inprotest at Trump's executive order banning visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries. Farhadi thanked Khan and the cinema community "for this generous initiative", adding he appreciated "this invaluable show of solidarity."

"The gathering of the audience around 'The Salesman' in this famous London square is symbolic of unity against the division and separation of people," he told the Guardian.

Farhadi announced in January that he would not attend the ceremony even if the US government gave him special permission to travel despite coming from Iran, one of the countries on Trump's controversial list.

The Iranian filmmaker stuck by his decision even after a US court ruled against the travel ban. Around 10,000 spectators are expected for the screening,which will be the British premiere of the film, according tothe mayor's office.

British director Mike Leigh is also expected to speak before the screening, followed by a mini concert by The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians. Around fifty film personalities, including Ridley Scott, Kiera Knightley, Terry Gilliam, Glenn Close, and Julie Christie, signed a letter asking that the film be screened in front of the US Embassy in London.

"We wish to hold an event in solidarity with Mr Farhadi himself, but crucially, with the many thousands of innocent people who will now be negatively impacted and harmed by a policy of outright discrimination such as this," they wrote.