A harsh sentence via video call
While abroad to accept major film honours, Jafar Panahi — the Iranian director behind the internationally acclaimed film It Was Just an Accident — was sentenced in absentia by a Tehran court to one year in prison.
The verdict also imposes a two-year ban on Panahi leaving Iran and forbids him from joining any political or social organisations.
Sentence comes even as course of celebration
The sentence was handed down while Panahi was in New York — receiving three awards at the 2025 Gotham Awards for “It Was Just an Accident” (Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature).
The film had earlier secured the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival — the Palme d’Or — bringing renewed fame to Panahi and global attention to his work.
Charges: “propaganda against the system”
According to the ruling, Panahi has been convicted of “propaganda activities against the system.”
No further public details were provided about the exact nature of these alleged propaganda activities. His lawyer, Mostafa Nili, said they intend to appeal.
Panahi’s fraught history with the authorities
This is not Panahi’s first run-in with Iranian authorities. Over the past two decades he’s faced repeated arrests, travel bans, and a long-standing ban on filmmaking and leaving the country. His latest film was reportedly shot without official permits, under conditions of intense scrutiny from the authorities; even so, he continued creating art — a defiance that has drawn admiration abroad and harsh reprisals at home.
What it means for global cinema and dissident artistry
Panahi’s sentence comes at a time when his work is being celebrated globally — yet simultaneously penalised at home. It underlines the stark contrast between international acclaim and domestic repression faced by artists in authoritarian contexts.
For the global film community, the ruling is deeply troubling: it sends a signal that success abroad does not shield artists from state punishment. For defenders of free expression, the sentence reinforces the urgency of support networks for dissident creators.
Writer and editor specialising in lifestyle, culture and social trends across Australia and Oceania. Spent 5 years contributing to national magazines and online outlets.
