Iranian filmmakers planning their version of Argo

Moviemakers in Iran are planning their own version of Ben Affleck's thriller Argo to tell their side of the hostage drama story.

Affleck's film is about the rescue of American diplomats from Iran during the country's revolution in the 1970s, and the critically-acclaimed picture has won the actor/director seven nominations at the upcoming Academy Awards.

Following the huge international response to Argo, filmmakers in Iran are now planning to shoot their own version, called Setad Moshtarak (The General Staff).

Iranian actor/filmmaker Ataollah Salmanian says, "The draft of the movie, Setad Moshtarak, has been approved by (Iran's) art centre and it awaits a budget to start shooting.

"The movie is about 20 American hostages who were handed over to the US embassy by Iranian revolutionaries at the beginning of the revolution. This movie... can be an appropriate response to distorted movies such as Argo."

Argo, which won two Golden Globe awards on Sunday, has reportedly been banned in Iran.