Cannes awards its Palme d'Or trophy to Iranian revenge drama 'It Was Just an Accident'

By Euronews pinch AP

Published connected 24/05/2025 - 20:03 GMT+2•Updated 21:25

Cannes has awarded its apical prize, nan Palme d'Or, to nan Iranian revenge play It Was Just an Accident.

The triumph continues an bonzer tally for indie supplier Neon, which has now backed nan past six Palme d'Or winners. Neon picked up It Was Just an Accident for North American distribution aft its Cannes premiere, pursuing earlier wins pinch Parasite, Titane, Triangle of Sadness, Anatomy of a Fall, and Anora.

Cate Blanchett presented nan grant to Panahi, who was imprisoned successful Iran 3 years agone and went connected a hunger strike. For complete 15 years, he has made films successful concealed successful his location country, including This Is Not a Film, changeable successful his surviving room, and Taxi, group wholly successful a car.

The assemblage gave him a large opinionated ovation. Panahi threw up his arms and leaned backmost successful disbelief, past applauded his squad and those astir him. On stage, he was welcomed pinch cheers by Cannes assemblage president Juliette Binoche, who had erstwhile held up his sanction astatine nan show successful 2010 while he was nether location arrest.

As Panahi took to nan shape he said what mattered astir was state successful his country.

“Let america subordinate forces,” said Panahi. “No 1 should situation show america what benignant of apparel we should wear, what we should do aliases what we should not do. The cinema is simply a society. Nobody is entitled to show what we should aliases refrain from doing.”

“Let’s proceed to hope,” he concluded.

Despite Panahi's outcry for freedom, he has said life successful exile is not for him. He planned to alert location to Tehran connected Sunday.

The festival’s closing ceremonial came soon aft a awesome powerfulness outage deed southeastern France connected Saturday, which constabulary judge whitethorn person been caused by arson. Power was restored successful Cannes conscionable hours earlier stars began arriving connected nan reddish carpet.