It Was Just an Accident creator, Jafar Panahi, scored triumphant return to the 2025 Cannes Film Festival after spending 20 years in prison in Iran.
After going through from a tough phase of his life, the 64-year-old Iranian film director finally won the Palme d’Or as the best film in competition at the festival.
The 78th annual Cannes Film Festival took place on Saturday, where the jury announced the popular categories at the prestigious event.
According to TheWrap’s review, "The bracing thing about ‘It Was Just an Accident’ is that it has married Panahi’s wit and humanism with real anger."
"In a festival full of fury, this is one of the films that hits hardest and resonates longest,' the Taxi director noted.
As per the multiple tabloids, the management of the Cannes Film Fesstival has distributed Palme d’Or awards to the six winners including Parasite in 2019, Titane, Triangle of Sadness, Anatomy of a Fall and last year’s winner, Anora.
However, the final trophy was bagged by the Iranian director after a long period of the time.
Following is the complete list of winners:
Palme d’Or
It Was Just an Accident, dir: Jafar Panahi
Grand Prize
Sentimental Value, dir: Joachim Trier
Best Actress
Nadia Melliti, La Petite Dernière
Best Director
Kleber Mendonça Filho, The Secret Agent
Jury Prize – tie
Sirat, dir: Oliver Laxe
The Sound of Falling, dir: Mascha Schilinski
Best Screenplay
Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Young Mothers
Best Actor
Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent
Special Prize
Resurrection, dir: Bi Gan
Camera d’Or
The President’s Cake, dir: Hassan Hadi
Special Mention, Camera d’Or
My Father’s Shadow, dir: Akinola Davies Jr
Short Film Palme d’Or
I’m Glad You’re Dead Now, dir: Tawfeek Barhom
Special Mention, Short Film
Ali, dir: Adnan Al Rajeev
