Directed by Jafar Panahi, 2025, Iran/France/Luxembourg, Rated R, 104 minutes

Filmed in secret under government restrictions, Jafar Panahi’s latest is a taut, introspective thriller about three former political prisoners who believe they’ve encountered one of their torturers years after their release. What begins as a cautious reunion soon spirals into a haunting moral reckoning. The film masterfully blends realism with philosophical tension, exploring justice, vengeance, and memory in the shadow of oppression. It Was Just an Accident won the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, marking a career high point for Panahi. Reverse Shot described it as “a gripping, slow-burning narrative that culminates in an unexpectedly devastating finale—never trafficking in easy answers.”

Munson Film Series is sponsored by M&T Bank and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.