Iran and France got into a diplomatic spat on Wednesday over the award of the Palme d’Or to the Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi at the Cannes Film Festival on 24 May.
Iran called the recognition of his film It Was Just an Accident an endorsement of “shared Iranophobia rather than art.”
The Iranian government criticised the festival for allegedly prioritising political agendas over artistic merit. Following Panahi’s win, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, praised the award to Panahi as a “gesture of resistance against the Iranian regime’s oppression,” further fuelling Tehran’s ire.
In response, Iran summoned France’s chargé d’affaires in Tehran to lodge a formal protest. Mohammad Tanhaei, Director of Western Europe at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, accused Barrot of “flagrant interference” in Iran’s affairs and demanded an official clarification from Paris.
Tanhaei also rebuked France for its silence on Israel’s human rights violations in Gaza, labelling France as a “firm supporter of the Zionist regime” and an “accomplice in serious breaches of humanitarian law.” He asserted that France, given its stance, had “no moral right to level human rights allegations against others.”
Filmmakers Under Pressure
Panahi’s win highlights the struggles of Iranian dissident filmmakers, who have long faced repression—both under the Shah and the current regime.
But despite censorship and persecution, many have gained international acclaim, though their work remains banned at home.
It Was Just an Accident is a gripping drama exploring the trauma of political dissidents. The Hollywood Reporter describes it as an “intricately crafted thriller” condemning abusive power.
The film follows Eghbal, a man kidnapped by a former prisoner, Vahid, who believes Eghbal was his torturer. As the story unfolds, the moral dilemma of revenge takes centre stage, with Panahi leaving the audience to grapple with the question of justice.
Panahi’s Defiance Against Repression
Panahi, a vocal critic of Iran’s government, has faced imprisonment, travel bans, and a 20-year filmmaking ban. Yet, he continues to create works smuggled out of Iran, such as his 2011 documentary This Is Not a Film, which was hidden in a birthday cake to reach Cannes.
His films often spotlight women’s struggles, as seen in The Circle (2000), a ground-breaking exposé of systemic oppression.
After participating in the 2009 Green Movement, Panahi was jailed in Evin Prison, where a hunger strike drew global attention.
Despite risks, Panahi remains defiant. “I’m alive as long as I’m making films,” he told AFP. His greatest lament? That Iranian audiences cannot legally watch his work.
A Glimmer of Hope?
Following his Palme d’Or win, Panahi returned to Tehran without arrest—a rare reprieve, possibly due to international pressure. Supporters greeted him, some chanting feminist slogans, sparking cautious optimism for change.
Yet, Iran’s crackdown on dissent persists. Under President Ebrahim Raisi, authorities have intensified suppression, arresting over a dozen documentary filmmakers.
As Panahi’s latest film stirs global acclaim, the divide between Iran’s regime and its artistic voices grows ever wider.