Jafar Panahi and Saeed Roustayee Are Both in Cannes in Banner Year for Iranian Cinema on the Croisette

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As a movie enthusiast, I had the privilege of witnessing a remarkable milestone at this year’s Cannes Film Festival – the return of Dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi to the red carpet after a 14-year absence. His latest creation, “It Was Just an Accident,” was unveiled on the iconic Montées des Marches steps, marking not just a world premiere, but a historic moment for both Panahi and cinema. Having been barred from filmmaking, interviews, and international travel due to his political activism, this moment signifies a triumphant comeback that is certain to leave a lasting impact on the film industry.

Filmmaker Jafar Panahi, renowned worldwide for his award-winning movies like “The Circle,” “Offside,” “This is Not a Film,” “Taxi,” and more recently “No Bears,” was detained in Tehran in 2023 due to the strict actions taken by the conservative government. He was jailed for approximately seven months, accused of creating propaganda against the regime.

In April 2023, Iranian officials removed the ban that had been imposed on filmmaker Jafar Panahi. This move seems to indicate to the global community that Iran is making some superficial changes to its direction amid mounting tension resulting from the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 while she was detained for an alleged violation of hijab rules.

The film ‘It Was Just an Accident’, illegally filmed in Iran, portrays women without traditional head coverings, symbolizing the ongoing resistance against the compulsory hijab law throughout the nation.

In contrast, all the women in Saeed Roustayee‘s film “Woman and Child” are depicted wearing veils. This upcoming premiere at Cannes, scheduled for Thursday with the director present, follows his previous work “Leila’s Brothers,” which debuted at Cannes in 2022. The use of veiled women in the film is a notable aspect that has drawn criticism from certain Iranian industry circles, who argue that Roustayee, a dissident who was sentenced to six months in prison for screening “Leila’s Brothers” at Cannes in 2023 (although he did not serve his sentence), has compromised with the Iranian government. However, Roustayee firmly denies this accusation.

I’ve been ardently supported amid these allegations by my fellow Iranian filmmaker, Mohammad Rasoulof. In May 2024, he bravely fled Iran for Europe, having been sentenced to prison by the country’s authorities for creating “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” a film that premiered at Cannes with him last year.

As a passionate cinephile, I’m thrilled to share that my fourth film tells the story of a strong-willed woman who bravely confronts the men around her and a societal structure that unjustly takes away her fundamental rights, even her right to motherhood. This declaration was made in an interview with EbMaster.

In Iran, I am required to wear the hijab, which isn’t a personal preference, rather an enforced custom. Yet, we’ve learned to adapt and resist subtly in our daily lives, seeking personal freedom.

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2025-05-20 16:16