I sat down to interview Jafar Panahi, director of Cannes Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident. The film is now nominated for two Academy Awards: Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay.
Panahi also directed No Bears which won the Special Jury Prize at Venice in 2022.
It Was Just an Accident synopsis:
An unassuming mechanic is reminded of his time in an Iranian prison when he encounters a man he suspects to be his sadistic jailhouse captor. Panicked, he rounds up a few of his fellow ex-prisoners to confirm the man's identity.
The film is about retribution by people with a heart. It’s about an eye for an eye with someone who has lost a leg.
The interview is a deep dive into how Panahi conceptualizes the overall moral structures of his films. And how he creates a cinematic style that is in direct contrast to the character’s desires.
There’s also a fun section at the end of the interview where he details a happy accident on set.
Here is the trailer:
Now available to rent or buy.










