It Was Just an Accident

Mistakes are a part of life, whether you are inadvertently running over an animal in the middle of the night or left scrambling after doubting the man you kidnapped deserves his punishment. The title for this film conveys just that: this idea that a brief encounter or a snap judgment can snowball into circumstances you never imagined, but that the intent to harm is not there. How could there be, if it was just an accident? Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or winner is deceptively simple, as it follows Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri), who kidnaps a man he thinks to be his torturer after hearing the squeak of his peg leg. But after having doubts about his victim’s true identity, he must find others who can identify this man and decide what he will do once he knows for sure.  

It Was Just an Accident is composed largely of conversations either about what to do about the man in the box or about what the man in the box has already done. Yet its brilliant script shines thanks to its unflinching examination of intent. Are the means truly justified by the ends (or, in many of these characters’ cases, the beginnings)? Is catharsis worth perpetuating the cycle of violence, and can it even be attained afterwards? And, perhaps most crucially, how much does the lack of certainty about culpability make our protagonists like the torturers that have shattered their lives? In this scathing satire of the Iranian regime, Panahi makes brutal observations about the kinds of beliefs and behaviors this system has normalized. 

For all of the heady questions and moral dilemmas It Was Just an Accident poses, it is surprising how quick-paced it is. At a tight 103 minutes, the film practically flies by, though not without immersing you completely in these characters’ headspaces. The film opts out of the easy thrills a less laser-focused film may have sought out, instead reaching for earnest character moments that build in intensity as the stakes escalate. And for how clearly angry It Was Just an Accident is, it is shockingly hilarious at a number of points. There are running gags that both condemn the state of society under the Iranian regime and are deeply funny! Panahi has such a strong grip on the tone of this piece that the humorous moments do not undercut the weight of the message he is making but in fact enhance it. It is a remarkable showcase of his directorial prowess, as he has complete control over the audience’s every emotion on this wild ride. The script takes us into a number of unexpected places, but every beat feels like the natural progression of this gripping narrative. 

Though I give much credit to Jafar Panahi for his masterful direction and devastating script, It Was Just an Accident also possesses the finest ensemble of the year. Each cast member is asked to demonstrate their respective character’s unique approach to processing trauma, and as old wounds reopen, there is not a single false note to be found. Save for the kidnapped man of indeterminate identity (Ebrahim Azizi) and our lead Vahid, not a single member of the cast is a professional actor, which makes the emotional resonance of their performances all the more impressive. The ensemble as a whole is stupendous and painfully authentic, but two performances in particular truly stuck out to me. Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr blew me away as Hamid, an explosive man who is always one poorly phrased statement away from a shouting match. His character could easily have felt like a caricature, but he taps into the reality that Hamid is merely a product of the countless abuses he has suffered. As Shiva, Mariam Afshari is far more subdued in contrast, but her eyes convey this resentment and anguish bubbling underneath her calm exterior that is eventually unleashed in the film’s most heartbreaking scene. But from top to bottom, every actor in this film is phenomenal and elevates an already stellar screenplay in order to pack the biggest possible punch. 

As the credits rolled, you could hear a pin drop as the audience took in the grueling ending we were presented with. Not a soul dared to stand up and leave; instead, we let the meaning of Panahi’s masterpiece stay with us. It Was Just an Accident is the best film of the year, bar none, because of how much it engrains itself in you. In the weeks that have passed since viewing it, I still find myself considering the many choices made in this film. Yet as meticulously constructed and well-acted as it is, the reason it stands out as one of 2025’s defining films is its emotional impact. You will not find a more meaningful, soul-crushing testament to morality than in It Was Just an Accident. 

10/10