The 78th Cannes Film Festival concluded in dramatic fashion with Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi’s deeply moving It Was Just An Accident clinching the Palme d’Or, per deadline.com. The win marks a triumphant return for Panahi, who made an emotional in-person appearance 22 years after his last attendance, despite a decade of restrictions from the Iranian government.
In a powerful speech from the Lumière stage, Panahi, who has faced imprisonment, house arrest and filmmaking bans, passionately urged, “Let’s put all the problems, all the differences aside; the most important thing right now is our country and our country’s freedom.”
His victory further extends Neon’s impressive six-year Palme d’Or streak.
The Grand Prize went to Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, a film that critics had widely tipped for the top honour. Brazil also celebrated a strong showing, with Kleber Mendonça Filho earning Best Director for The Secret Agent, and his film’s lead, Wagner Moura, securing the Best Actor award.
The final day of the festival wasn’t without its own drama, as a mass power outage plunged Cannes into darkness for several hours. However, the festival’s swift pivot to an independent power supply ensured the glamorous Closing Ceremony proceeded without a hitch, allowing the well-deserved winners to be celebrated.
This year’s lineup was widely praised as one of the strongest in recent memory, delivering memorable cinematic experiences alongside star-studded premieres like Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
•Featured image: Jafar Panahi celebrates on stage after winning the Palme d’OrGetty Images
