Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi intends to go back home despite facing a new prison sentence

MARRAKECH, Morocco Renowned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi announced Thursday that he intends to go back to Iran after completing his international tour for his latest film, It Was Just an Accident, emphasizing that he has never considered living in exile despite the legal challenges awaiting him at home.

A Tehran court earlier this week sentenced Panahi to one year in prison in absentia and imposed a two-year travel ban, accusing him of engaging in propaganda activities against the system, according to his lawyer Mostafa Nili, who said the ruling would be appealed.

The sentence coincided with Panahis film receiving three awards at the Gotham Awards in New York City, which he attended before traveling to Morocco. Speaking to an audience at the Marrakech International Film Festival, Panahi stated, I know the films I make dont align with the governments views, but that is not a reason to leave my country. Iran is where I can breathe, find purpose, and draw strength to create. He confirmed he plans to return after his tour concludes next year.

Panahi is one of Irans most prominent contemporary directors and has continued filmmaking despite years of imprisonment, travel bans, and house arrest imposed by Iranian authorities. He shot It Was Just an Accident secretly in Iran following a seven-month imprisonment that ended in 2023 after a hunger strike.

The movie is a revenge drama inspired by Panahis experiences in Evin Prison, centering on a man who believes he has located his former captor. Planning initially to bury him alive, the man instead transports him to other former prisoners to determine whether vengeance or forgiveness should prevail.

It Was Just an Accident has gained international attention, being Frances submission for Best International Feature at the Oscars and winning the Palme dOr at the Cannes Film Festival in September.

Panahi stressed, I have only one passport. It is my countrys passport, and I wish to keep it. Even during the toughest times, I never considered leaving Iran to become a refugee elsewhere. I have been working tirelessly on this Oscar campaign for over three months, and this sentence came amid that effort. But I will complete the campaign and return to Iran as soon as possible.

Author: Lucas Grant