Neon Nabs Jafar Panahi’s Cannes Feature ‘It Was Just An Accident’ for North America

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Neon now holds the rights for showcasing Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s film “It Was Just An Accident” in North America, as it made its premiere in competition at Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday.

The movie is Panahi’s first production since his release from an Iranian prison, and it was partially influenced by his second imprisonment in that country. Neon, who previously distributed Panahi’s film “The Year of the Everlasting Storm”, intends to launch a North American theater release for this new work in 2025.

The movie is something new from Panahi after he got out of prison in Iran, and it was affected by his second time being locked up there. Neon, who has previously shown one of Panahi’s movies, plans to show this latest work of his in North American theaters in 2025.

The movie titled “It Was Just An Accident” features Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, and Vahid Mobasser. It revolves around a seemingly innocuous accident that triggers a chain reaction leading to increasingly severe consequences, offering a glimpse into the hardships endured by political dissidents and those who challenge authority.

“It Was Just An Accident” is a movie where Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, and Vahid Mobasser star. The story follows an accident that has unexpected consequences, showing the difficulties faced by people who speak out against power or are political dissidents.

This year’s Golden Bear and Golden Lion laureate made his legal debut at Cannes with a movie since 2006, marking a significant return to filmmaking for him following decades of restrictions. Lifted by the Iranian authorities, these restrictions had earlier halted his career. A seasoned Cannes participant, Panahi’s journey in cinema commenced with his initial feature, The White Balloon, which won the Caméra d’Or.

Other notable productions include “Crimson Gold,” which earned the Prix du Jury at Cannes in 2003, and “No Bears,” which received the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2022. The film “It Was Just An Accident” is a joint production by Panahi and Philippe Martin, with Sandrine Dumas and Christel Henon also contributing as co-producers. David Thion and Lilina Eche serve as associate producers for this project.

Previously, Neon obtained the distribution rights in North America for the political thriller “The Secret Agent,” a project by writer-director Kleber Mendonça Filho. Additionally, Neon secured the rights for distribution in North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand for “Fjord,” which marks the English-language debut of Palme d’Or-winning Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu (known for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”), starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve.

Neon had an exceptional awards season last year, with the climax being Sean Baker’s film, “Anora“, winning the prestigious Palme d’Or. This was followed by a total of five Oscars, one of which was for the Best Picture category.

This film titled “It Was Just An Accident” is a production by Les Films Pelléas and Jafar Panahi, hailing from Iran, France, and Luxembourg. MK2 Films handles the international distribution rights for this movie.

The distribution agreement was worked out by Sarah Colvin and Jeff Deutchman from Neon, while Fionnuala Jamison from MK2 Films represented the filmmakers in the negotiation process.

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2025-05-22 17:54