10/30/2025
Review: It Was Just an Accident (2025)
I went into "It Was Just an Accident" completely blind, not knowing what to expect. The first act had me a bit confused, but once the plot started moving, I was hooked. What begins as a simple incident quickly unravels into a gripping, thought-provoking story that keeps you guessing until the very end.
Directed by Jafar Panahi, the film opens with what appears to be an ordinary accident. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that nothing about it is ordinary. The film twists and turns through questions of guilt, justice, and truth. Each time you think you understand what’s going on, it shifts again, forcing you to see things from a new perspective.
The characters are what make it so powerful. Each one feels real and layered, with motives that are never quite clear until the moment they need to be. You can’t help but question who’s telling the truth, and who’s just trying to survive. Their relationships drive the film’s tension, making every interaction feel like it’s leading to something bigger.
The movie has already earned major recognition. It won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the Sydney Film Prize, and was selected as France’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the upcoming Academy Awards. Along with 3 Gotham nominations. These honors are well deserved for a film that manages to be suspenseful, emotional, and politically resonant all at once.
For those wanting to watch it, It Was Just an Accident premiered at Cannes in May 2025, had its French theatrical release in October through Memento Distribution, and is being handled by NEON for North American audiences.
If you’re in the mood for something unpredictable and deeply human, this is worth seeking out. It starts slow, but once it finds its rhythm, it doesn’t let go. By the end, you realize the confusion was part of the journey—and that’s what makes it unforgettable.
Edit: Reposted to show expansion dates