Iranian Director Jaafar Panahi’s “Just an Accident” โSelected to represent france in Oscars
Cannes Film Festival โคGolden parachisโ Award winner Jaafar Panahi, an iranian filmmaker secretly filming in his homeland, will see his latest work, “Just an Accident,” contend for the Academy Award for Bestโ International Feature Film as France’s official entry.โ The โselection marks a โคimportant turn for Panahi, who has been imprisoned twice โby Iranian authorities and is โฃbarred from filmmaking in his native country. He returned to Iran after receiving the โฃCannes prize.
The decisionโ to submit Panahi’s film through France underscores the political obstacles he facesโฃ in Iran, where the government has consistently refused to submit his work for Oscarโ consideration. “The onlyโฃ way to compete for the Academy Awards is to run by a state, andโค Iran โhas never wanted to represent Jaafar Panahi,” explained Philip Martin, founder of “Du Bilias,” a productionโ company involved in the โfilm. This nomination provides a crucial platform for Panahi’s politically chargedโ cinema, potentially amplifying its reach and impact.
Panahi is a celebrated figure in international cinema, havingโ garnered numerous accolades at prestigious festivals like berlin and Venice. Despite โขhis critical acclaim, he has neverโ been nominated for an Academy award. “Just an Accident”โข was filmed in secret, a testament to Panahi’s โคcommitment to his craft despite facing severe restrictions.
The French production company alsoโ collaborated on “Anatomy of a Fall,” directed by Justine Triet, which won the Academyโ Award for Best Screenplayโ in 2024 and the Golden Parachis Award the previous year. Inโฃ 2015, France selected “Mustang,” directed โbyโข French-Turkish filmmaker Deniz Gamze Ergรผven, as its entry for the American competition.