An unassuming mechanic is reminded of his time in an Iranian prison when he encounters a man he suspects to be his sadistic jailhouse captor. Panicked, he rounds up a few of his fellow ex-prisoners to confirm the man’s identity.
This year’s Palme d’Or winner comes from Iranian director Jafar Panahi, and it is yet another terrific film that a number of talented directors are managing to make in the country despite a backdrop of severe limitations on artistic expression. It is called ‘It Was Just an Accident’ and was filmed in secret in Iran having not received a filming permit from the Islamic Republic, and is notable for the actresses in the film regularly appearing without wearing a hijab – compulsory in the country. That provides a compelling political backdrop to the film, and Panahi more than matches it with a thrilling narrative that expertly blends the personal and political.
‘It Was Just an Accident’ begins with the event of its title as a man (Ebrahim Azizi) accidentally hits and kills a dog, when travelling with his wife and young daughter in his car at night. The car is damaged, so he visits a garage, where a mechanic there recognises a familiar sound of a prosthetic leg squeaking, setting in motion a chain of events that will bring a group of former prisoners face to face with the man they believe tortured them in an Iranian prison. Like other great recent Iranian films (‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ as an example from earlier this year), its milieu is deeply specific to the current political climate in Iran, but Panahi’s skill is in making this story work as both an incredibly relevant political drama, and a gripping thriller on a purely visceral level.
The performances are powerful and the script is delightfully twisty, keeping the audience guessing as to how the story will play out, building towards a final act that is frankly outstanding. ‘It Was Just an Accident’ is the second great Iranian drama of this year (that I’ve seen), and a powerful use of the cinematic medium to shine a light on the realities for many people living in Iran today. Panahi and his cast and crew are incredibly brave, and important, individuals.
Rating: 4/5
Directed By: Jafar Panahi
Starring: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohammad Ali Elyasmehr, Delnaz Najafi, Afssaneh Najmabadi and Georges Hashemzadeh
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