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Iranian Court Sentences Cannes Winner Jafar Panahi to One Year in Prison in Absentia

The filmmaker remains abroad pending an appeal, with his Cannes-winning film drawing intensified international attention.

Overview

  • A Tehran Revolutionary Court (Section 26) convicted Panahi in absentia on a charge of “propaganda against the system,” his lawyer Mostafa Nili said.
  • The ruling adds a two-year travel ban and a two-year prohibition on joining political or social groups.
  • Panahi is currently outside Iran and has been promoting the film internationally, including a U.S. stop where he and the film won multiple Gotham Awards.
  • His legal team has announced it will appeal the sentence, continuing a long-running legal struggle following prior detentions and restrictions.
  • It Was Just an Accident was shot clandestinely, won the Palme d’Or, is France’s submission for the international Oscar, and is rolling out in theaters with support from distributors including MUBI and NEON.