Overview

• The Busan International Film Festival selected Panahi as its Asian Filmmaker of the Year for 2025 and will present the honor on September 17 at the Busan Cinema Center.
• Celebrating its 30th edition, BIFF will introduce a full competition section and host the Asian Contents & Film Market from September 20–23 at BEXCO.
• Panahi has persisted in creating films in secret despite state-imposed bans, arrests, detentions and travel restrictions in Iran.
• His Palme d’Or win for It Was Just an Accident in May completed a rare sweep of top awards at Cannes, Venice (2002) and Berlin (2015).
• Neon acquired North American rights to It Was Just an Accident at Cannes and plans an October 15 theatrical release.