The Cannes Film Festival celebrates political cinema: Jafar Panahi wins the Palme d’Or with “Un Simple Accident.”

With the Palme d'Or for Jafar Panahi's "A Simple Accident," Cannes 2025 made a political statement – ​​and made itself the setting for one of the most divisive years in its history. Not only did Panahi's film win, a work as artistically compelling as it was politically relevant, but the entire festival was dominated by political discussions alongside the star-studded hype.

In "Un Simple Accident" (English title: "It Was Just an Accident"), Iranian director Panahi explores his experiences in prison and the violence of the Iranian regime. "The film springs from a sense of resistance, of survival, which is absolutely necessary today," said jury chairwoman Juliette Binoche.

Panahi was imprisoned in Iran from July 2022 to February 2023, having previously been subject to a long work and travel ban. His secretly shot film was inspired by his time in prison, he said. Conversations he had with other inmates there were incorporated into the film.

The film follows a group of former prisoners who, in a knee-jerk reaction, kidnap their former tormentor, who allegedly tortured them in an Iranian prison. They embark on a chaotic road trip during which the group gets into heated discussions about how and whether to take revenge on him.

Often, the film focuses on the deeply violent experiences the participants had while in captivity. Despite the serious subject matter, there are also humorous moments.

"The creative urge can change the world, can change situations that, from a human perspective, are impossible to bear," Binoche said of Panahi's work. At the beginning of the festival, the French actress signed an open letter in which several film stars criticized Israel's military intervention in Gaza. Several films set in Gaza were screened at the festival.

In addition, the policies of US President Donald Trump, who had announced before the festival that he intended to impose tariffs on foreign-produced films, were a recurring topic in Cannes. Trump's announcement drew criticism and ridicule from all sides, most prominently from Hollywood star Robert De Niro right at the opening.

Oscar winner Cate Blanchett delivered the speech before Panahi's award ceremony. She said that Cannes paves the way for cinema to engage in broader social discussion. "Here, these dialogues are encouraged to take root, where they otherwise risk being co-opted by the selfish world of national and personal political ambitions."

The thriller "O Secreto Agente" by Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho takes on a different political setting. It won the Best Director award at the 78th Film Festival, and Wagner Moura also received the Best Actor award. The film tells the story of an academic persecuted during the military dictatorship in 1977.

But not all of the award-winning films were decidedly political. The Grand Jury Prize, the festival's second most important award, went to Joachim Trier's "Sentimental Value." In it, the Norwegian director tells a complex father-daughter drama.

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne were honored for Best Screenplay for "Jeunes Mères." In this social drama, they tell the story of young mothers living in precarious circumstances. A Special Jury Prize went to Bi Gan from China for "Resurrection." The Best Actress award went to Nadia Melliti for her role in the coming-of-age drama "La Petite Dernière."

Berlin native Mascha Schilinski received the Jury Prize for her drama "Looking into the Sun," which she shared with filmmaker Oliver Laxe ("Sirât"). In "Looking into the Sun," Schilinski tells the story of four young women who live on a farm in the Altmark region at different times. The film explores the experiences of domestic violence, repressed desires, and inherited traumas that the four women experience.

Schilinski also took a political stance at the awards ceremony: "We would like to dedicate this award to all those who live in places where it is not easy, impossible, or barely possible to make films—and especially to young filmmakers, and especially women: Your voices are important. Don't give them up."

Panahi used his voice in Cannes to address his fellow citizens. "The most important thing is our country and our country's freedom," said the 64-year-old. "Let's reach the moment together when no one dares to tell us what to wear, what to do, or what not to do." After the ceremony, he remembered his fellow prisoners at a press conference.

After his films were shown at major festivals without him for over 15 years, Panahi was able to travel to Cannes in person this time. His travel ban was lifted a good two years ago.

When his name was announced as the winner of the Palme d'Or, the audience rose to their feet in thunderous applause. Panahi threw his arms in the air and leaned back in his seat before applauding his staff. His personal presence at Cannes was one of the most powerful images in a film festival rich in powerful images.