FRIDAY MARCH 20 2026
It Was Just an Accident is a 2025 thriller film written and directed by Jafar Panahi. The film is a co-production between Iran, France, and Luxembourg. The film follows a group of former Iranian political prisoners who face the question of whether to exact revenge on a man they believe may be their tormentor. Panahi, who is critical of the Iranian government and has been imprisoned several times, made the film without official filming permission from the Iranian authorities.
The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 78th Cannes Film Festival on 20 May 2025, where it won the Palme d’Or, and received critical acclaim. At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, it became the first Iranian film to be nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director and Best Screenplay, and was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. At the 98th Academy Awards, it was nominated for Best International Feature Film (France) and Best Original Screenplay.
