Cannes Grants Palme d’Or to Iranian Revenge Thriller ‘Just a Mishap’

Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi received the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Cannes Film Festival
on Saturday for his film in the revenge thriller genre
It Was Simply an Mishap,
presenting the festival’s highest honor to a director who had faced restrictions preventing them from exiting Iran for over 15 years.

Cate Blanchett handed out the award to Panahi, who three years prior faced imprisonment in Iran and subsequently embarked on a hunger strike. Over the past fifteen years, he has produced movies secretly within his homeland, such as “This Is Not a Film,” which was created inside his living space, along with another work titled “Taxi” that takes place entirely in a vehicle.

The audience erupted into a resounding standing ovation for the filmmaker, who swiftly raised his arms overhead and tilted backward in astonishment before he began clapping alongside his fellow creators and those watching. Up on stage, Panahi received cheers from the crowd.
President of the Cannes jury, Juliette Binoche,
In 2010 at Cannes, someone held up Panahi’s name to honor the director who was under house arrest.

In front of everyone, Panahi stated that the most important thing was liberty in his nation.

Let’s unite,” Panahi stated. “Nobody has the right to dictate our clothing choices, actions, or restrictions. Cinema reflects a microcosm of society. No individual or entity can impose limits on what we choose to do.

The victory for “It Was Just an Accident” prolonged an extraordinary run: Indie studio Neon has supported all of the past six Palme d’Or recipients. This recent success for Neon, which secured the North American rights to “It Was Just an Accident” post-its debut at Cannes Film Festival, comes hot on the heels of their previous wins at the event.
“Parasite,”
“Titane,” “Triangle of Sadness,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” and
“Anora.”

All these movies were Oscar nominees, and two of them, “Parasite” and “Anora,” took home the award for Best Picture.

Last year, filmmaker
Mohammad Rasoulof fled Iran
To be present at the debut of his movie in Cannes and relocate to Germany. However, Panahi mentioned that contrary to his acquaintance Rasoulof, living in exile does not appeal to him. His intention was to return to Tehran via flight on Sunday.

“‘It Was Just an Accident’” drew inspiration from Panahi’s time in prison. The movie features a group of ex-prisoners coming across the individual who tormented them behind bars, and they struggle with deciding whether to take his life.

Panahi
was imprisoned at Tehran’s Evin Prison
After visiting the location to seek information about the imprisoned Rasoulof, Panahi was freed in 2023.
following a hunger strike
.

In 2009, he faced restrictions preventing him from leaving Iran following the funeral of a student who died during the Green Movement demonstrations. During this period, Panahi persisted in making movies illicitly within Iran, operating without official permission, and managed to have these works distributed internationally via USB sticks for film festivals. His ability to travel abroad was reinstated upon his liberation in 2023.

The movie emerges from a sense of resistance and resilience, which remains crucial nowadays,” Binoche stated to journalists following the event. “Art will ultimately prevail. The essence of humanity will always triumph.

The concluding event at Cannes was marked by a ceremony.
a major power outage
That affected southeastern France on Saturday, which police believed might have been an act of arson. Just a few hours prior to the arrival of celebrities on the red carpet, electricity was reinstated in Cannes.

“A day without electricity,” lamented John C. Reilly, who performed the English version of “La Vie En Rose” during the event. He mentioned that the festival’s movies provided “all the necessary power.”

Other laureates at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

The second prize at the Grand Prix went to Joachim Trier’s Norwegian family drama.
“Sentimental Value,”
His highly acclaimed sequel to “The Worst Person in the World.” Although some anticipated that “Sentimental Value” would claim the Palme d’Or, Trier—whose movie collaborates once again with actress Renate Reinsve—took home a significant award nonetheless.

We’re living in an era marked by excessive and overwhelming visual content. We constantly encounter moving images,” stated Trier. “I would like to commend the Cannes Film Festival for serving as a venue where the grand cinematic image—the essence of moving imagery, the unrestricted visuals that allow us to pause and observe—can be appreciated. This is particularly significant now when these are the kinds of images through which we can connect empathetically and reflect upon one another.

Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Brazilian political thriller
“The Secret Agent” won two big awards: best director for Filho and best actor for Wagner Moura. Though Cannes juries are generally urged to spread awards around, the two for “The Secret Agent” showed the jury’s strong feelings for it. Asked about the two prizes, juror Jeremy Strong explained, simply, “That was our wish.”

The victories, coming after the international film Oscar win for Walter Salles’ “I’m Still Here” in March, provided Brazil with further reasons to rejoice. On Twitter, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that these accolades “demonstrate that our nation’s filmmaking stands unparalleled.”

The jury award was shared between two films:
Oliver Laxe’s desert journey “Sirat”
And Mascha Schilinski’s German, multigenerational film ‘Sound of Falling’ won top honors. The award for best actress was awarded to Nadia Melliti for her role in ‘The Little Sister,’ which is a French coming-of-age story directed by Hafsia Herzi.

The Belgian brothers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, who are two-time Palme d’Or winners, won best screenplay for their latest drama, “Young Mothers.” Its their ninth prize in Cannes. The festival’s award for best first film, the Camera d’Or, went to Hasan Hadi for “The President’s Cake,” making it the first Iraqi film to win an award at the festival.

What else influenced Cannes this season?

The closing ceremony on Saturday marked the end of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, an event where global politics loomed large both within and outside the screenings. Just prior to this major cinematic gathering—the biggest film marketplace worldwide—U.S. President Donald Trump suggested imposing a 100% tax on foreign-produced movies.

Many filmmakers reacted with indifference, deeming the proposal irrational. “Do you think holding up the film at customs will work? That’s not how shipping operates,” remarked Wes Anderson, whose most recent project had just been unveiled.
“The Phoenician Scheme”
During the festival, at the opening ceremony, the honored Palme d’Or recipient Robert De Niro referred to Trump as “America’s philistine president.”

Other prominent American movies showcased at Cannes also included
Spike Lee’s “From Top To Bottom”
(which drew Lee away from his affection for the New York Knicks but didn’t change his connection to their blue and orange colors), the Christopher McQuarrie-Tom Cruise thriller
Mission: Impossible — Final Reckoning,
and Ari Aster’s
“Eddington,”
which elicited a polarizing response.

By winning at Cannes, Panahi joined an exclusive group of directors who have claimed top honors from all three major European film festivals. His accolades include the Palme d’OR at Cannes for “Taxi,” as well as the Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival for “The Circle.” The only others to achieve this feat are Henri-Georges Clouzot, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Robert Altman.

Following his victory, Panahi addressed the journalists and discussed how filmmakers and artists invariably manage to find a solution, even when faced with intricate circumstances.

Panahi stated, “They need to understand that no current authority can stop these individuals in their path.” He added, “This power lies within you.”

___

Jake Coyle has been reporting on the Cannes Film Festival since 2012. This year, he has watched around 40 movies during the festival and is
highlighting key points of interest.

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To read more about the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, go to:
https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival

Jake Coyle, The Associated Press