France announced on Wednesday that the Palme d’Or winner “It Was Just an Accident ” by Iranian director Jafar Panahi will represent the country at the upcoming Oscars. The selection of this foreign-language film is significant. It shows that France “is the beating heart of international co-productions and a welcoming land for creators from all over the world, especially those who are prevented from working in their own country“, according to the president of the selection committee CNC, Gaëtan Bruel.
The film has been described by BBC Culture as “a furious but funny revenge thriller that takes aim at oppressive regimes“.
Panahi imprisoned twice in Iran
Jafar Panahi, who won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in May for his clandestinely filmed film, has been imprisoned twice in his country of origin, where he returned after winning his award. His last spell in prison was for protesting against the detention of two fellow film-makers who had been critical of the authorities.
Recognized as one of the major figures of Iranian and world cinema, the filmmaker had already won several awards, notably in Berlin and Venice. However, he had never competed for the Oscars.
“The only way to compete for the Oscars is to be presented by a country, and Iran has never wanted Jafar Panahi to represent Iran,” Philippe Martin, founder of Les Films de Pelléas, which co-produced the film, told AFP.
(ML. Source: France24 et al. Photo: Les Films de Pelléas)