Test calling Python script from FORTRAN

fortranmain.f90

program SystemTest
  print *, "FORTRAN: BLOCKING"
  call system("python pythonsleep.py")
  print *, "FORTRAN: NONBLOCKING"
  call system("python pythonsleep.py &")
  print *, "FORTRAN: EXIT"
end program SystemTest

pythonsleep.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
from time import sleep
print "Before"
sleep(5)
print "After"

Execution:

nebula ~/SEEDME/fortran_callpython$ gfortran fortranmain.f90 
nebula ~/SEEDME/fortran_callpython$ time ./a.out 
 FORTRAN: BLOCKING
PYTHON: Before
PYTHON: After
 FORTRAN: NONBLOCKING
 FORTRAN: EXIT

real        0m5.026s
user        0m0.012s
sys         0m0.004s
PYTHON: Before
nebula ~/SEEDME/fortran_callpython$ PYTHON: After