Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi took home the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival for his powerful revenge thriller It Was Just An Accident. This victory cements Panahi’s status as one of the few directors to have won the top prizes at all three major European film festivals, following previous wins in Berlin for Taxi and Venice for The Circle. After years of being banned from filmmaking by the Iranian government, Panahi’s return to the global stage was both triumphant and deeply symbolic. He dedicated the award to the people of Iran, emphasizing the importance of freedom and expressing hope for a future where personal choices, including attire, are not dictated by authorities.
Panahi, who has faced multiple imprisonments and defied state-imposed restrictions by continuing to create films in secret, described the experience of watching his latest work with a live audience as “thrilling.” He confirmed that he plans to return to Iran, stating that he would have done so regardless of the outcome at Cannes. His film, It Was Just An Accident, centers on a garage owner who impulsively kidnaps a one-legged man resembling his former prison torturer, forcing him into a moral dilemma over revenge and justice. It is only the second Iranian film ever to win the Palme d’Or, the first being Taste of Cherry in 1997.
Jury president Juliette Binoche highlighted the film’s emotional depth and transformative power when announcing the award, stating that true art channels human resilience and the ability to turn darkness into forgiveness. The festival featured 22 competing films, including those by acclaimed directors such as Richard Linklater, Wes Anderson, and Ari Aster.
The Grand Prix, the festival’s second-highest honor, went to Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, while the jury prize was shared between Sound of Falling by Mascha Schilinski and Sirat by Oliver Laxe. Brazilian film The Secret Agent took home best actor for Wagner Moura and best director for Kleber Mendonça Filho. Nadia Melliti was awarded best actress for her performance in The Little Sister, a queer coming-of-age drama. The Dardenne brothers won best screenplay for Young Mothers.
Denzel Washington made a brief appearance for Highest 2 Lowest and received a surprise honorary Palme d’Or, joining Robert De Niro, who was honored earlier during the festival’s opening night.
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