Iran Revolutionary Court sentences Palme d’Or winning director Jafar Panahi to prison

The Revolutionary Court of Iran has handed a one-year prison sentence to acclaimed filmmaker Jafar Panahi for alleged propaganda against the state. According to Panahis attorney, Mostafa Nili, the ruling also imposes a two-year travel restriction and bars him from participating in any political or social organizations. An appeal is expected to be filed.

Panahi, 65, recently received the Palme dOr for his film It Was Just An Accident, marking the first time an Iranian director has won Cannes top prize since Abbas Kiarostamis Taste of Cherry in 1997. Panahi has a long history of conflicts with Iranian authorities, having been jailed twice and banned from filmmaking due to his anti-regime stance and alleged propaganda against the state. In 2022 and 2023, he spent seven months in prison protesting the detention of his colleague Mohammad Rasoulof.

Despite these restrictions, Panahi has continued to create films, including This Is Not a Film, No Bears, and Taxi Tehran, the latter winning the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 2015.

Currently in the United States promoting It Was Just An Accident, Panahi attended the Gotham Awards, where he was honored with three prizes: Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best International Feature. Upon accepting the Best Screenplay award, he dedicated it to independent filmmakers in Iran and worldwide, highlighting those who continue to work under difficult and dangerous conditions, driven solely by their commitment to truth and humanity.

Residing in France, Panahi is scheduled to participate in the Marrakech Film Festival. He will join a panel discussion following the screening of his latest thriller, which depicts formerly imprisoned Iranians debating revenge against a suspected former jailer. The film serves as a critique of the Iranian regime and a broader reflection on state oppression.

Shot in secret due to restrictions from Iranian authorities, It Was Just An Accident has been praised for its tension, nuanced storytelling, and exploration of the consequences of violence and torture. France has submitted the film as its entry for the International Feature category at the upcoming Oscars.

Author: Sophia Brooks