In 1981 , a television movie about the Canadian Caper was made , '' Escape from Iran : The Canadian Caper '' , directed by Lamont Johnson , with Kenneth D. Taylor played by Gordon Pinsent . The movie was filmed in and around Toronto , and was an American-Canadian co-production . A children 's illustrated book about the event was written by 2013 Eric Hoffer Award-winner Laura Scandiffio and Stephen MacEachern , entitled '' Escapes ! '' The critically and commercially successful film '' Argo '' , based on this event , was released in North American cinemas on October 12 , 2012 . In the film , the role of John Sheardown and his wife Zena were omitted for reasons of length and cost . The film includes elements of both fact and fiction . In particular , the film focuses largely on the role the CIA played in the operation and minimizes the extended involvement of the Canadians , and their share of strategy and preparation . Former President Jimmy Carter acknowledged this in an interview in 2013 , while also praising the film . In addition , the film incorrectly states that the six American diplomats had been turned away by the British and New Zealand embassies . The American diplomats spent one night in a British diplomatic compound before it became obvious that the militants were searching for the diplomats and had confronted the British embassy . All of the diplomats involved agreed that the residence of the Canadian Ambassador would be better suited to sheltering them . '' Argo '' won three Oscars , including Best Picture , at the 85th Academy Awards on February 24 , 2013
85th Academy Awards
85th Academy Awards
Canadian Caper