It Was Just an Accident

It Was Just an Accident

It Was Just an Accident (Persian: یک تصادف ساده, romanized: Yek tasādof-e sāde; French: Un simple accident) is a 2025 political 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.

It Was Just an Accident was theatrically released in France on 1 October 2025 by Memento Distribution.

Plot

It Was Just an Accident

A man with a prosthetic leg is driving his car at night with his wife and daughter when he accidentally hits and kills a dog. To repair his car, he visits a nearby garage where Vahid, an ethnic Azerbaijani auto mechanic, recognizes him from the sound his prosthetic leg makes after Vahid speaks to his mother on the phone. The next day Vahid follows the man, kidnaps him, and attempts to bury him in the desert. He tells him that he recognized his voice and stumbling walk as that of Eghbal (nicknamed "peg leg"), his former tormentor in an Iranian prison. The man denies being Eghbal and begs Vahid not to kill him, saying that the scars on his leg are recent, unlike Eghbal's.

Doubting the man's identity, Vahid puts his unconscious body into the van and visits Salar at a bookshop. Salar refuses to help him identify the man but directs him to a woman named Shiva, a photographer in the middle of taking wedding photos of Goli and Ali, an engaged couple to be married the next day. Reluctant to help him, Shiva recognizes the smell of the man as that of Eghbal but is also unsure of his identity due to the fact that they were blindfolded during their torture/interrogations. Goli reveals that she was also tortured by Eghbal but cannot confirm his identity either, so they seek out the help of Hamid, Shiva's former partner, drugging their captive first and plugging his ears.

Hamid instantly identifies the man as Eghbal after touching his legs and insists on killing him right away, but Vahid and Shiva hold him back, as they wish to hear him testify first. In the midst of deliberation and debate, they wind up in the desert. A cellphone rings from the man's body. Vahid picks it up and hears the man's daughter, who claims that her pregnant mother has fainted. The group visit the man's house and drive his daughter with her mother to a hospital, where the mother gives birth to a son.

Hamid, Goli, and Ali grow frustrated and decide to leave Vahid and Shiva behind. The two then drive the man to a secluded location at night, tie him up to a tree, wake him up, and demand that he testify. The man first claims mistaken identity again, but then caves and acknowledges that he is Eghbal, asserting that his actions were justified for the good of the Iranian regime and that killing him would only make him a martyr. Vahid and Shiva recount the torment they experienced in detail to Eghbal, and tell him that his wife has given birth to a son. Shiva forcefully demands that Eghbal apologize and after some back-and-forth he tearfully says that he is sorry, claiming that he was only trying to make a living. Vahid then sets Eghbal free and drives away with Shiva.

Later, Vahid and his mother prepare the van for his sister. A white car, similar to Eghbal's car, is seen entering the area while Vahid enters the house to retrieve something. He suddenly stops in his tracks. A squeaky sound resembling Eghbal's prosthetic leg is heard, first slowly approaching, then slowly moving away.

Cast

It Was Just an Accident

• Vahid Mobasseri as Vahid • Mariam Afshari as Shiva • Ebrahim Azizi as Eghbal • Hadis Pakbaten as Goli/Golrokh • Majid Panahi as Ali • Mohammad Ali Elyasmehr as Hamid • Delnaz Najafi as Eghbal's daughter • Afssaneh Najmabadi as Eghbal's wife • Georges Hashemzadeh as Salar

Production

Background

Panahi is one of Iran's best known directors, who has repeatedly criticized the policies of the Iranian regime in his works. He was arrested in 2022 after being sentenced in 2010 to a six-year prison sentence and a 20-year ban on working. He had not yet begun serving his prison sentence at that time. This decision was heavily criticized internationally. After almost seven months in detention, Panahi was released in early February 2023, after the 65-year-old went on a hunger strike. Despite his ban on working, he had always managed to complete film projects in Iran and have them released abroad. Most recently, in his absence, his film No Bears (2022) was shown in the main competition at the 79th Venice International Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize there. In an interview ahead of the film's Cannes premiere, Panahi said that although the bans had been lifted on his filmmaking and travelling, he still had to maintain a secrecy about his work and had to work illegally with a "very limited cast and crew".

Financing and filming

It Was Just an Accident is a co-production between Iran, France and Luxembourg. It was produced by Panahi himself in collaboration with Philippe Martin for Les Films Pelléas, a Paris-based company that also produced Justine Triet's Palme d'Or-winning Anatomy of a Fall. The film was co-produced by Bidibul Productions (Luxembourg) and Pio & Co (France). Post-production was completed in France.

Panahi filmed It Was Just an Accident in secret, without a filming permit from the Islamic Republic. The actresses in the film do not always wear the hijab, which is compulsory for women under the law in Iran.

Cast and crew during Cannes awards ceremony

Release

It Was Just an Accident

It Was Just an Accident was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 20 May 2025. The film was described as a "tightly guarded mystery" upon its announcement at Cannes. Thierry Frémaux, the festival's general delegate, explained in early April that he wanted nothing to be leaked. Panahi's work last appeared at Cannes in 2021 with the omnibus documentary film The Year of the Everlasting Storm, presented as a Special Screening. Upon its announcement, Variety reported that it would be unlikely that Panahi would travel to Cannes for the premiere. Panahi, however, appeared in person at Cannes alongside his wife and daughter, as well as several of the cast members. He last appeared at Cannes in person in 2003, when Crimson Gold was screened in the Un Certain Regard section.

International sales are handled by MK2 Films. The film was theatrically released in France by Memento Distribution on 1 October 2025, under the title Un simple accident. Shortly after its Cannes premiere, Mubi acquired distribution rights to the film in Latin America, the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Turkey and India, with Neon buying rights for North America. It was released in the United States on 15 October 2025.

The film had its Canadian premiere in the Special Presentations section of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2025.

It was presented in the Gala Presentation at the 30th Busan International Film Festival on 18 September 2025, and also selected to screen at the Adelaide Film Festival on 19 October 2025, and the 20th Rome Film Festival in October 2025. The film also screened at the BFI London Film Festival and the New York Film Festival in October 2025.

The film is scheduled to be released on Blu-Ray by The Criterion Collection on June 30, 2026.

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of 210 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Perhaps the most bluntly political film by Jafar Panahi yet, It Was Just an Accident is a defiant rebuke of authoritarianism that still delivers the entertainment value of a gripping thriller." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 91 out of 100, based on 41 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

Davide Abbatescianni of Cineuropa described it as "a gripping, slow-burning narrative that culminates in an unexpectedly devastating finale," which is "both timely and timeless, and deeply rooted in the social and political realities of Iran."

In June 2025, IndieWire ranked the film at number 43 on its list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 2020s (So Far)."

Legal

Following the film's success in Cannes, French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot called Panahi's win "a gesture of resistance against the Iranian regime's oppression". A spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry called Barrot's comments "insulting remarks and unfounded allegations" and criticised "the misuse by the French government" of the Cannes festival "to advance its political agenda against the Islamic Republic". France's chargé d'affaires in Tehran was summoned to the ministry in response. During the meeting, the Iranian representative condemned Barrot's comments as "blatant interference" and described the congratulatory message as "irresponsible and provocative", adding that France had "no moral authority at all" to comment on Iran, citing what he characterised as a failure by France to support Palestinians in Gaza. He demanded an official explanation from the French government, to which the envoy replied that he would convey the message to Paris.

More than 150 Iranian artists and activists, including Crown Prince in exile Reza Pahlavi and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Narges Mohammadi, were signatories to a public statement applauding Panahi as "an outstanding and courageous Iranian filmmaker" and congratulating his Palme d'Or win as a sign that "committed art and the voice of truth, even amidst the walls of censorship and pressure, can make the world admire these achievements. These achievements are an honor for all Iranians who fight for freedom, justice, and human dignity". Mohammad Rasoulof called the win a "powerful blow to the machinery of repression in the Islamic Republic".

Accolades

The film won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. In his award acceptance speech Panahi called for Iranians to unite against the Iranian regime. 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 2025 Gotham Awards, it was most awarded film, winning Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature.

<table><thead><tr><th>Award</th><th>Date of ceremony</th><th>Category</th><th>Recipient(s)</th><th>Result</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Cannes Film Festival</td><td>24 May 2025</td><td>Palme d'Or</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Prix de la Citoyenneté</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sydney Film Festival</td><td>15 June 2025</td><td>Sydney Film Prize</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mill Valley Film Festival</td><td>14 October 2025</td><td>MVFF Award, Filmmaking</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Audience Favorite – Independent Cinema</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Middleburg Film Festival</td><td>19 October 2025</td><td>Impact Award</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Montclair Film Festival</td><td>27 October 2025</td><td>Audience Award for World Cinema</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Asia Pacific Screen Awards</td><td>27 November 2025</td><td>Best Film</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Director</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>British Independent Film Awards</td><td>30 November 2025</td><td>Best International Independent Film</td><td>Jafar Panahi, Phillippe Martin</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Gotham Independent Film Awards</td><td>1 December 2025</td><td>Best Director</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Original Screenplay</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Best International Feature</td><td>Philippe Martin and Jafar Panahi</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Atlanta Film Critics Circle</td><td>3 December 2025</td><td>Best International Feature</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Top 10 Films</td><td>6th Place</td></tr><tr><td>American Film Institute Awards</td><td>3 December 2025</td><td>AFI Special Award</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Washington DC Area Film Critics Association</td><td>7 December 2025</td><td>Best Director</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Acting Ensemble</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Original Screenplay</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Foreign Language Film</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Film Critics Association</td><td>7 December 2025</td><td>Best Screenplay</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Film Not In The English Language</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Runner-up</td></tr><tr><td>Toronto Film Critics Association Awards</td><td>7 December 2025</td><td>Best International Feature</td><td>Runner-up</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Chicago Film Critics Association</td><td>11 December 2025</td><td>Best Director</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Film</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Original Screenplay</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Best Foreign Language Film</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>St. Louis Film Critics Association</td><td>14 December 2025</td><td>Best Film</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best International Feature Film</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Best Director</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Original Screenplay</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Scene</td><td>It Was Just an Accident - Finale</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>San Diego Film Critics Society Awards</td><td>15 December 2025</td><td>Best Picture</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Foreign Language Film</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Best Director</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Original Screenplay</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Seattle Film Critics Society</td><td>15 December 2025</td><td>Best Picture</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best International Feature</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Critics' Choice Awards</td><td>4 January 2026</td><td>Best Foreign Language Film</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>New York Film Critics Circle</td><td>6 January 2026</td><td>Best Director</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Astra Film Awards</td><td>9 January 2026</td><td>Best Picture – Drama</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best International Feature</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>AARP Movies for Grownups Awards</td><td>10 January 2026</td><td>Best Foreign Language Film</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Golden Globe Awards</td><td>11 January 2026</td><td>Best Motion Picture – Drama</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Foreign Language Film</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Director</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Screenplay</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>National Board of Review</td><td>13 January 2026</td><td>Best International Film</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>European Film Awards</td><td>17 January 2026</td><td>European Film</td><td>Philippe Martin, Jafar Panahi, Christel Hénon, Sandrine Dumas</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>European Director</td><td>Jafar Panahi</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>European Screenwriter</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>16 April 2026</td><td>LUX Audience Award</td><td>It Was Just an Accident</td><td>Pending</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Lumière Awards</td><td>18 January 2026</td><td>Best International Co-Production</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Goya Awards</td><td>28 February 2026</td><td>Best European Film</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cinema for Peace Awards</td><td>16 February 2026</td><td>Cinema for Peace Dove for The Most Valuable Film of the Year</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Academy Awards</td><td>March 15, 2026</td><td>Best International Feature Film</td><td>France</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Original Screenplay</td><td>Jafar Panahi; in collaboration with Nader Saïvar, Shadmehr Rastin, and Mehdi Mahmoudian</td><td>Nominated</td></tr></tbody></table>