IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT

Mechanic Vajid (Vahid Mobasserri) kidnaps a man he believes to be Eghbal (Ebrahim Azizi), a prison officer who tortured him for his political activism years prior. To determine if he has the right person, Vajid assembles a group of fellow former prisoners who have been trying to move on with their lives, including wedding photographer Shiva (Marian Afshari) and bride-to-be Golrokh (Hadis Pakbaten). As the group struggles to agree on the man’s identity, they argue over their next move, grappling with their shared trauma as painful memories of Eghbals abuse resurface. I felt like the themes of this film were its strongest part – the moral conflict of seeking revenge, questioning when a victim crosses the line and becomes as bad as their abuser and weighing up the cost of retribution versus forgiveness. The plot drags on in places, with overextended scenes that have little payoff, and it’s initially difficult to know where the story is heading. Of interest is the fact that Iranian director Jafar Panahi shot and edited this movie in secret in Tehran, with everyone involved taking a huge risk to bring it to fruition. This required hiring lesser-known actors, which explains why the performances are adequate but not memorable. Thought-provoking but feels like a bit of a trawl. Was awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2025.