Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi made a historic return to the global film stage on Saturday evening, as his latest feature It Was Just an Accident won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The Cannes jury, chaired by acclaimed French actress Juliette Binoche, selected the film as the best in competition.
The victory marks Panahi’s first personal appearance at Cannes in over 20 years. The celebrated director had spent nearly two decades imprisoned or under house arrest in Iran, primarily due to his outspoken criticism of the Iranian government through his cinematic work. His attendance was made possible after recent changes in travel restrictions, allowing him to leave Iran and present his film on the international stage.
It Was Just an Accident explores the emotional aftermath of political repression, following a group of victims who kidnap a man they believe once tortured them during their imprisonment. The intense narrative resonated with the Cannes jury and global audiences alike.
Following its debut, the film was acquired by Neon, the U.S. distribution company that has now distributed six consecutive Palme d’Or winners. Neon’s previous Palme d’Or films include Parasite (2019), Titane, Triangle of Sadness, Anatomy of a Fall, and last year’s winner, Anora.
Neon’s Strong Festival Presence
Neon entered the 2025 festival already committed to distributing two main competition entries: Julia Ducournau’s Alpha and Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value. During the festival, the distributor added three more films to its roster—Sirat, The Secret Agent, and Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident.
Out of its five entries, four received awards. The only exception was Alpha, which left Cannes empty-handed.
Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, a poignant family drama, received the Grand Prix, the festival’s runner-up prize. The Jury Prize, which recognizes innovation and courage, was jointly awarded to Sirat by Oliver Laxe and Sound of Falling by Mascha Schilinski.
Individual Awards Recognize Powerful Performances
Brazilian actor Wagner Moura was honored with the Best Actor award for his role as a political dissident in Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent. The film also earned Mendonça Filho the Best Director award.
Nadia Melliti won Best Actress for her emotionally charged performance in The Little Sister, while the Best Screenplay award went to veteran filmmakers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne for Young Mothers.
A Special Prize was awarded to Resurrection, a two-hour-and-forty-minute visually daring work by Bi Gan.
Emerging Talent Recognized
The Camera d’Or for best debut feature across all festival sections went to Hasan Hadi for The President’s Cake, marking the first time an Iraqi film has won an award at Cannes. The film had earlier clinched the Audience Award in the Directors’ Fortnight sidebar.
In the short film category, Tawfeek Barhom won the Short Film Palme d’Or for I’m Glad You’re Dead Now, while Adnan Al Rajeev received a special mention for Ali.
The evening concluded with actor John C. Reilly performing Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose”, a heartfelt tribute before announcing the screenplay award.
Star-Studded Jury and Competitive Lineup
This year’s jury featured a diverse group of international talent: American actors Halle Berry and Jeremy Strong, Indian director Payal Kapadia, Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher, French-Moroccan author Leila Slimani, Congolese filmmaker Dieudo Hamadi, South Korean director Hong Sangsoo, and Mexican auteur Carlos Reygadas.
The 2025 main competition showcased 21 films, including notable entries from Wes Anderson (The Phoenician Scheme), Ari Aster (Eddington), Oliver Hermanus (The History of Sound), Richard Linklater (Nouvelle Vague), Sergei Loznitsa (Two Prosecutors), Lynne Ramsay (Die My Love), and Kelly Reichardt (The Mastermind).
The Cannes Film Festival continues to serve as a powerful launchpad for awards season. Last year’s Palme d’Or winner Anora went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture, with Cannes alumni Emilia Perez and The Substance also earning Academy Award nominations.
