Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident is a subtle, quietly biting new tragedy of comedies from one of the most resilient and brave voices in cinema. Known for his films This Is Not a Film and Taxi, Panahi has spent his life and career creating incredible art under the shadow of censorship. It Was Just an Accident begins with an almost absurdly simple premise — an unavoidable mistake that sets off a chain of events that unravel into a life-threatening parable about revenge, guilt, and the trauma of political violence.
The film is often grounded in realism but at other times it feels drawn from an absurdist comedy. Still, it never asks for a laugh — instead, it presents humanity in all of its messiness and complication.
The film is beautifully shot, and the actors are remarkable in every role, no matter how big or small. I also couldn’t help but notice the sound design; it’s such a simple film in terms of score and music, yet the ambient sounds — wind brushing through trees and chimes, birds punctuating an emotional scene between our main character and a photographer — fill the world with texture and feeling.
This is a fully realized work of art, and it’s a film that will linger with me for a long time.