It Was Just an Accident

It Was Just an Accident is the new film from Iranian master Jafar Panahi (Taxi Tehran). The film won the prestigious Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year and, like Panahi's previous films, was made without permission from the Iranian regime. It Was Just an Accident is a thriller in which revenge, humour and humanity come together.

Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri) is working in the garage when a customer comes in and has problems with his car. Vahid is startled when he thinks he recognises Eghbal, the officer who tortured him in jail. He smells revenge, but at the same time his doubts grow. Together with several peers, he desperately tries to uncover the truth. It takes them from dicey to downright absurd situations. How can they be sure they have got hold of the right man?

Director Jafar Panahi was himself sentenced to six years in prison and banned from acting professionally. Among other things, he used his own experiences for It Was Just an Accident, which he shot without permission from the Iranian regime after his release. Abroad, his film has been received with unanimous enthusiasm.

Directed by Jafar Panahi
With Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi

Production country: Iran
Persian and English spoken, Dutch subtitles
drama, thriller, 106 min, 2025
12+

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