Iranian Director Jafar Panahi‘s Film May Compete for Oscars as French Entry
Jafar Panahi’s latest film, A Simple Accident, an Iranian thriller, is poised to possibly represent France in the upcoming Academy Awards competition for Best International Feature Film. This unusual situation stems from the film’s unique production circumstances and a recent change in eligibility rules implemented by the French National Center of Cinematography and the Moving Image (CNC).
The producer of A Simple Accident asserts the film underwent its entire post-production process in France, drawing a parallel to mohammad Rasoulof’s Wild Fig Seeds, which represented Germany at the Oscars last year. This isn’t the first time the CNC has selected a non-French language film; in 2015, Mustang by Franco-Turkish director Deniz Gamze Ergüven was chosen to represent France.
Since 2022, the CNC has utilized an application process for Oscar consideration. Films must exceed 40 minutes in length, be produced outside the United States, demonstrate primarily French creative control, be filmed in a language other than English, and have a theatrical release in France between october 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025. A Simple Accident technically doesn’t meet the final release date criterion, as it’s scheduled for release on October 1st, but a waiver was granted – as it was for other pre-selected films including Arco by Ugo Welcome, the Last of Us by Hafsia herzi, New Wave by Richard Linklater, and Privacy by Rebecca Zlotowski.
According to producer Philippe Martin, A Simple Accident has already garnered notable attention in the United States, receiving “an amazing welcome from recent Telluride and Toronto festivals.” He explains that representing a country is the only viable path to Oscar contention for the film, as Iran has consistently refused to submit Jafar Panahi’s work for consideration.
The situation highlights a broader issue for filmmakers from countries with restrictive governments. Academy rules require directors from such nations to obtain government approval to be eligible for Oscar nomination. Panahi himself publicly criticized this requirement during a press conference at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea on September 17th.
“The academy has no specific program for us. When we make films, we can send them to international festivals without having to obtain official authorization from Iran.But when it comes to the academy, we must obtain authorization from our own government,” Panahi stated. He further urged the Academy to ”find a way not to link filmmakers to thier government,” advocating for self-reliant filmmakers to be able to submit their work without facing governmental obstacles.
The next steps in the process include the announcement of a longlist of fifteen preselected films on December 16th. Should A Simple Accident advance, a shortlist of five nominees will be revealed on January 22nd.The ultimate winner will be announced on March 15th at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.