Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi won the Palme d'Or for his film It Was Just an Accident at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, using the moment to call for unity among Iranians worldwide in their struggle for freedom at home.
Panahi, who has faced imprisonment and a 15-year travel ban for his outspoken criticism of the Islamic Republic, received a standing ovation as Cate Blanchett presented the award.
In his acceptance speech, he urged unity among Iranians striving for democracy: "Let's set aside our differences. The important thing now is the freedom of our country, so that no one would dare to tell us what to wear or what film to make."
France's foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said in a French post on his X account, "In an act of resistance against the Iranian regime's oppression, Jafar Panahi wins a Palme d'Or, reigniting hope for freedom fighters around the world."
The thriller, co-produced by Iran, France, and Luxembourg, was made clandestinely without official permission from Iranian authorities and features women not wearing the hijab, challenging Iran's compulsory dress code laws.
Panahi who managed to leave Iran and attend his film's premiere at Cannes after a 15-year travel ban, said on Wednesday he would be returning immediately to Iran after attending the Cannes Film Festival to begin work on his next film despite being free to travel again.
Panahi was released on bail from Tehran's notorious Evin Prison in February 2023 after he started a hunger strike.
Making history
Panahi has achieved a rare distinction in the world of cinema by winning the top honors at all three major European film festivals. His 2025 Palme d'Or adds to his previous accolades: the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for Taxi in 2015 and the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for The Circle in 2000.
This accomplishment places Panahi among a select group of filmmakers who have achieved this triple crown of European cinema. The other directors who have earned this distinction are Michelangelo Antonioni, Robert Altman, and Henri-Georges Clouzot.
