At the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, Iranian director Jafar Panahi received the prestigious Palme d’Or for his film «It Was Just an Accident», during the closing ceremony of the 78th Festival de Cannes. On May 25, he posed with his prize during the photocall of the laureates, marking a historic moment for committed cinema.
The Jury of the 78th Festival de Cannes, chaired by the French actress Juliette Binoche (France), surrounded by the members of the jury Halle BERRY actress, Director (USA), Payal KAPADIA director, Screenwriter (India), Alba ROHRWACHER actress (Italy), Leïla SLIMANI writer (France, Morocco), Dieudo HAMADI director, Screenwriter, Producer (Republic of the Congo), Hong SANGSOO director, Screenwriter (South Korea), Carlos REYGADAS director, Screenwriter, Producer (Mexico), Jeremy STRONG actor (USA), has awarded his prize among the 22 films presented in competition.
The film “It Was Just An Accident”, directed by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, was awarded the Palme d’or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival for its powerful story and political message. A work of great importance, especially due to the personal journey of Panahi, who made this film after being imprisoned by the Iranian regime.
It is a political thriller story with a touch of black humor that addresses the moral issues of contemporary Iran, through the experience of a man tortured by the regime in place.
– Palme d’or : “It Was Just An Accident by Jafar Panahi – Political thriller.
– Grand Prix : Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier – Familial drama.
– Prix du Jury (ex-aequo) : Sirât L’Agent Secret, Oliver Laxe Kleber Mendonça Filho.
– Prix de la mise en scène : Young Mothers by Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne.
– Prix du scénario : La Petite Dernière by Nadia Melliti.
– Interprétation féminine : Nadia Melliti (La Petite Dernière).
– Interprétation masculine : Wagner Moura (L’Agent Secret), a Brazilian thriller.
– Caméra d’or : The President’s Cake by Hasan Hadi.
– Palme d’or du court métrage : I’m Glad You’re Dead Now by Tawfeek Barhom.
Deeply moved, Robert De Niro received the Palme d’or d’honneur, awarded by Leonardo DiCaprio, a distinction honoring his entire career.
In an unpublished song, the French singer Mylène Farmer, member of the jury in 2021, paid tribute to David Lynch, who died in January 2025.
As for the master of ceremonies Laurent Lafitte, he mentioned the artists involved.
On May 23, 2025, the director Mohamed Lakhdar-Hamina died at the age of 95 during the Cannes Film Festival. This death has a particular significance, occurring precisely fifty years after he won the Palme d’Or in 1975 for his masterful work, Chronicle of the Years of Fire
