A Simple Accident, a political drama by Jafar Panahi crowned with the Palme d’Or 2025 at the Festival de Cannes 2025, is airing on Canal+ on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 9:10 PM. Released in French cinemas on October 1, 2025, the film follows a former prisoner convinced he has identified the man who tortured him.
A Simple Accident
Film | 2025
Theatrical release: October 1, 2025
Broadcast on Canal+ : Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 9:10 PM
Drama | Runtime: 1h45
Directed by Jafar Panahi | Starring Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi
Original title: Yek tasadef sadeh
Nationality: Iran, France, Luxembourg
With Un simple accident, presented in the compétition officielle at Cannes, Jafar Panahi returns to political fiction, centered on traumatic memory, vengeance, and uncertainty. The story follows Vahid, a mechanic who believes he recognizes in a customer who has come to fix his car a former jailer responsible for the torture he endured in prison.
This Cannes triumph marks a milestone in Jafar Panahi's career, turning him into the first filmmaker in history to clinch the top prizes at the world’s leading festivals: Caméra d’Or at Cannes for The White Balloon, Golden Leopard at Locarno for The Mirror, Golden Lion at Venice for The Circle, Golden Bear at Berlin for Taxi Tehran, and now the Palme d’Or.
While driving, a family hits a dog. The young girl starts to cry, the veiled woman sees it as a sign from God, and the father remains stoic. It might not seem like a big deal, but this incident marks the beginning of Jafar Panahi's latest film, A Simple Accident, which is competing in the Official Selection at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
While the incident mentioned in the title occurs right at the start—during an elusive scene whose tone and framing unsettle the viewer—the film by the Iranian filmmaker follows the butterfly effect: beginning with this seemingly insignificant moment to explore a much more complex and layered story.
The man who accidentally hurt the poor creature is forced to take his car to the nearest garage. There, he is recognized by the distinct squeak of his prosthetic leg by Vahid. The mechanic is convinced he’s not the caring family man the opening scene suggests, but rather a regime inspector, the torturer who subjected him to months of imprisonment.
Once again, Jafar Panahi demonstrates extraordinary courage. After being silenced in 2010 and then reimprisoned between 2022 and 2023, he continues to boldly expose the current Iranian political regime. His second stint in prison, shared with fellow inmates, directly inspired his latest film.
Vahid chooses to kidnap the man he believes he recognizes and drags along a cast of characters, all former prisoners, tasked with confirming — or denying — the identity of their alleged tormentor. They find themselves crammed into the back of a van, in a crowded, confined space that unexpectedly yields moments of dark humor, despite the seriousness of the subject.
The film constantly shifts its tone, playing with contrasts. Jafar Panahi weaves in moments of unexpected humor, particularly in a scene set in a hospital where Vahid, mistaken for the newborn's father, is tasked with buying cakes to celebrate the occasion. These fleeting moments of levity serve to underscore, through contrast, the brutal reality of detention and
Suddenly, laughter turns to fury. The final midnight interrogation, shot under the harsh glow of headlights, marks a dramatic shift in tone of unprecedented impact. Until the very last image, which is purely auditory, chilling, evoking a deep, lingering fear without diminishing in intensity.
Shot secretly and without official permission, Un simple accident continues Jafar Panahi’s tradition of resistance cinema. True to his approach, the director demanded full commitment from his cast, blending experienced actors with non-professionals, and chose to credit everyone involved in the credits, despite the dangers involved.
The trailer for A Simple Accident:
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