Iran summons French diplomat over praise of Palme d'Or-winning film 'It Was Just An Accident'

Iran has summoned France's typical successful protestation aft nan French overseas curate praised nan Cannes-winning Iranian movie arsenic “a motion of guidance against nan Iranian regime's oppression.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had praised It Was Just An Accident aft it won nan prestigious Palme d’Or astatine nan Cannes Film Festival.

The movie by famed dissident Iranian head Jafar Panahi centres connected a man, Vahid, who abducts his suspected captor aft being tortured successful prison. To fulfill pangs of doubt, he decides to corroborate his suspicion by bringing nan man, locked successful his van, to different erstwhile prisoners for identification.

Panahi, who was backmost successful Cannes for nan first clip successful 15 years owed to a recreation prohibition successful Iran, drew connected nan experiences from his ain imprisonment arsenic good arsenic nan stories of detainees astir him.

Stay tuned to Euronews Culture for our reappraisal of It Was Just An Accident and our afloat debrief of Panahi’s triumph successful this week’s Culture Catch-Up. 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said nan French minister was summoned over his “interventionist, irresponsible and instigative allegations,” nan state-run IRNA news agency reported.

“Spare america Iranians nan lectures. You person nary civilized authority whatsoever,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said connected X, citing France's attack to Israel's ongoing warfare successful Gaza.

Last week, France threatened “concrete action” against Israel if nan state didn't halt nan violative successful Gaza and assistance restrictions connected humanitarian aid. However, nan connection was mostly dismissed arsenic quiet threats.

Immediately pursuing nan award's announcement, nan Iranian authorities news agency had announced a much muted ceremony of nan award, crediting nan country’s movie manufacture for winning a 2nd Palme d’Or aft Abbas Kiarostami’s 1997 drama, Taste of Cherry.

In Iran, movie productions request to person book support from nan authorities to sprout successful public.

Panahi refuses to do that, knowing they won’t let him to make nan films he wants to, and It Was Just an Accident was filmed without cooperation.

Iranian authorities TV called nan movie a substance of “lie and smearing” arsenic good arsenic an “underground” movie produced without nan required permits successful Iran. State TV besides chastised Panahi for not mentioning nan plight of nan Palestinians successful his acceptance speech.

The Mizan news agency, an limb of nan country’s judiciary, reported connected nan triumph arsenic portion of nan “Political Cannes Film Festival,” suggesting that nan prize was fixed to Panahi because of his governmental leanings.

However, pro-reform media outlets and activists praised Panahi.

“This triumph is nary mishap — it is nan consequence of a tireless dedication to exploring humanistic values and quality rights,” said Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who was besides antecedently imprisoned astatine Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.

Panahi was banned from travelling retired of Iran successful 2009 for attending nan ceremonial of a student killed successful anti-government protests, a judgement later extended to 2 decades. But moreover erstwhile placed nether location arrest, Panahi kept making movies, galore of which are among nan astir lauded of nan century.

He made 2011’s This Is Not a Film connected an iPhone successful his surviving room. Taxi (2015) was clandestinely changeable almost wholly wrong a car - and ended up winning that year's Golden Bear astatine nan Berlinale.

Panahi was arrested successful 2022 erstwhile he went to nan Tehran prosecutor’s agency to inquire astir nan arrests of 2 different Iranian filmmakers. A judge later ruled that he must service six years for an earlier condemnation connected charges of propagandising against nan authorities from 2011 that had ne'er been enforced.

In early 2023, Panahi went connected a hunger onslaught and was released from Evin Prison.

Panahi said he would not activity asylum successful different country, contempt nan risks of further imprisonment.

“It’s simple. I’m incapable to unrecorded here,” he said past week successful Cannes. “I person nary expertise to accommodate to a caller country, a caller culture. Some group person this ability, this strength. I don’t.”

On Monday, Panahi touched down successful Tehran's world airdrome to cheers.

One personification was heard shouting "woman, life, freedom" arsenic Panahi passed done nan airdrome - a building that became nan motto for protests that collapsed retired crossed Iran pursuing nan death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini successful constabulary custody successful 2022.

In his acceptance reside astatine Cannes, Panahi said, "What's astir important now is our state and nan state of our country," and called for Iranians to "join forces".

He added: "No 1 should situation show america what benignant of apparel we should wear, what we should do, aliases what we should not do."