Cannes 2025: Jailed Iranian Filmmaker Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d’Or for ‘It Was Just an Accident’

World-renowned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival for his latest film ‘It Was Just an Accident’. At the closing ceremony held at the Grand Theatre Lumière in Cannes, Bollywood actress Nicole Kidman and Jury President Juliette Binoche jointly presented the award to Panahi.

When Binoche announced his name, Panahi remained frozen in his seat. Later, he said, “How can I be happy here alone, when many fellow filmmakers and artists are imprisoned in my country Iran and many have been stopped from making films?” Panahi has only recently been released from prison.

He was sentenced to six years in 2010 and banned from making films for twenty years. He spent several years under house arrest in Tehran.

Standing Ovation for a Filmmaker in Exile

When Panahi’s name was announced, around 3,500 spectators stood up and clapped for a long time. The atmosphere at the Grand Theatre Lumière was filled with emotion and respect.

Jury President Juliette Binoche described Panahi as a filmmaker who has fought against dictatorship and religious fundamentalism for human dignity and freedom. It Was Just an Accident explores one night in Tehran, where a minor car crash sets off a chain of events. The story moves from revenge to forgiveness and raises questions about the morality of murder.

This is Jafar Panahi’s first film since his 2022 release from prison. Reports suggest he made the film without permission from Iranian authorities. Women appear in the film without wearing hijabs. Many see this as a form of cinematic resistance to the country’s strict hijab laws. Iran recently witnessed a major protest movement over this issue.

Panahi Dedicates His Award to Imprisoned Filmmakers

At the official Cannes press conference, Panahi said he was happy with the award but could not forget his fellow filmmakers. “One by one, their faces came before me. Many are still in prison,” he said. “I dedicate this award to the people of Iran who are risking their lives for freedom.”

Panahi spoke in Persian, Iran’s national language. The organisers translated his words first into French and then into English.

He recalled the early days when Iranian cinema had little global recognition. “Now Iranian cinema has its own identity across the world,” he said. “Many filmmakers have made sacrifices to reach here.”

Panahi stressed that filmmakers often struggle financially. “If someone funds the film but doesn’t understand cinema, they can destroy it,” he warned. He also said that violence, war, and dictatorship exist in many countries, but cinema offers hope. “We dream that peace and justice will prevail.”

Multiple Awards Celebrated at Cannes

After winning the Palme d’Or, Panahi became only the fourth filmmaker in the world to win top honours at all major film festivals. He earlier won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for Taxi (2015), and the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for The Circle (2000).

Denmark’s Joachim Trier received the Grand Prix, the second-highest award at Cannes, for his film Sentimental Value. Brazil’s Kleber Mendonça Filho won Best Director for The Secret Agent. Wagner Moura also won Best Actor for the same film.

France’s Hafsia Herzi received the Best Actress award for her performance in The Little Sister. The Best Screenplay award went to Belgium’s Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne for Young Mothers. The Dardenne Brothers have now won nine awards at Cannes.

Special Jury Honours for International Films

This year, the Jury Prize was shared by France’s Oliver Legge for his Spanish-language film Serrat and Germany’s Masha Shilinski for Sound of Falling. China’s Bi Gan received a Special Jury Award for his science fiction film Resurrection.

When questioned at the press conference about awarding multiple honours to the same film, Jury President Juliette Binoche said the decisions were unanimous. “Resurrection is like a poem that invites us to dream,” she said.

The Palme d’Or for Best Short Film went to Iraq’s Tawfiq Barhom for I’m Glad You’re Dead Now. This marks the first time an Iraqi filmmaker has won at Cannes.

Bangladeshi filmmaker Adnan Al Rajeev received a Jury Special Mention for Ali, the first such honour for Bangladesh at Cannes.

The Camera d’Or, awarded to the best debut film, went to Hasan Hadi for The President’s Cake. This film was screened in the Director’s Fortnight, a parallel event at the Cannes Film Festival.

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