Iranian director Jafar Panahi has been awarded the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival for his new film, It Was Just an Accident. The film follows Vahid, a former political prisoner in Iran, who suspects he has encountered one of his past torturers. Along with a group of fellow survivors, he kidnaps the man in a desperate search for justice.
Set against a backdrop of trauma and resistance, the film mixes dark humor with intense psychological drama. It is widely seen as a reflection of Panahi’s own struggles with censorship, surveillance, and incarceration in Iran. Despite having been banned from filmmaking in his home country, Panahi continues to create powerful cinema that resonates on the global stage.
The Cannes jury praised the film for its bold storytelling and emotional impact, marking it as one of the most politically charged and artistically accomplished entries in this year’s competition.
Source: Al Jazeera
