Overview

• Jafar Panahi received the Golden Palm at Cannes 2025 for his film 'It Was Just an Accident,' a political parable rooted in his personal experiences of imprisonment in Iran.
• The film, shot in secret, portrays a group of former prisoners confronting their alleged torturer, reflecting themes of resistance and moral conflict.
• Panahi's win has been celebrated globally but dismissed by Iranian state television as 'meaningless,' accusing Cannes of political bias.
• France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the award as a symbol of resistance against oppression, leading to diplomatic tensions with Iran.
• Panahi is now among a select group of filmmakers to have won top prizes at Cannes, Venice, and Berlin, cementing his legacy in global cinema.