Vahid, an unassuming mechanic, is suddenly reminded of his time in an Iranian prison when he has a chance encounter with Eghbal, a man he strongly suspects to be his sadistic jailhouse captor. Panicked, Vahid rounds up a few of his fellow ex-prisoners to try and confirm Eghbal’s identity. Master filmmaker Jafar Panahi creates a deeply felt moral thriller, where high stakes tension combines with unexpected flurries of humor and thoughtful, sometimes devastating questions regarding persecution and revenge.

It Was Just an Accident was nominated for four Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay. It also won the 2025 Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.