#iranian-cinema

#iranian-cinema

Winner of the top prize (Palme d'Or) at this year's 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Panahi's It Was Just an Accidentis a gripping thriller that follows a devoted son and mechanic named Vahid (devastatingly performed by Vahid Mobasseri) who suddenly believes that he may or may not have randomly reencountered the government intelligence officer who had brutally tortured him years prior. What ensues is an unstoppable (and borderline overwhelming) spiral that sends Vahid to consult numerous other victims, exploring the dangers of "unresolved devastation and the dangerous thirst for relentless revenge."

Watching " It Was Just an Accident" feels like watching director Jafar Panahi 's tortured yet graceful inner monologue around the merits of forgiveness. The Iranian filmmaker's Palme d'Or-winning film, like his other works, was filmed without official permission from the Iranian government-a tactic that enables him to critique the authoritarian regime creatively and without censorship. It hasn't been without consequences; Panahi was first arrested in 2010, then released, and subsequently placed under house arrest.

Jafar Panahi's new film reflects his personal prison experiences, highlighting the moral struggles of a man confronted with his traumatic past through a kidnapped torturer.