Jafar Panahi was prohibited from leaving Iran for over a decade because it was alleged that his films included anti-government propaganda. He departed Iran in 2023 once the prohibition was lifted. Following that, the director received a prison sentence in absentia last year for his most recent film, “It Was Just an Accident,” which took home the Palme d’Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
If the filmmaker returns to his native country, he may be imprisoned. Panahi claimed that the people he met while incarcerated in Iran served as inspiration for the creation of this movie. The violence against people detained during protests and their aftermath is the main subject of the film.
He has continued to travel with and promote the film despite news from Iran of a new one-year prison term and a two-year travel ban, the reporter inquired in the open interview. How has it gone, and has it affected his plans for the duration of the campaign or your post-campaign plans?
He said, “I was asked this question after the sentence was announced at the [Marrakesh International] Film Festival, and the analogy I gave was the same [as] when I was at the Cannes Film Festival, when I was presented with the same question. People were wondering if I was going to go back to Iran, and I said, “Of course, I’m going to go back as soon as the festival ends.” And 24 hours later, I was in Iran’s airport, after the end of the festival.”
Affirming his drive to return, he added, “Yes. The day that I’m done with my work here, I will return to Iran.” (via The Hollywood Reporter)
His appeal was scheduled for a hearing in Iran. He hasn’t hinted towards any form of hope but said, “The court has met, but I have yet to speak to my lawyer and see what happened. With everything going on, my sense is that either they will postpone the date that the appeals court will meet, or the lawyer will make a case for it to be postponed. I just have to follow up and see what is going on.”
