Cannes 2025: Iranian film It was Just an Accident wins Palme d’Or, check out full list of winners

Modified May 25, 2025 02:23 ET

A still from It Was Just An Accident | Image via The Upcoming

Cannes 2025 has concluded, and it has witnessed several cinematic moments. One of them is the fact that Jafar Panahi's Iranian film It Was Just An Accident has bagged Palme d'Or, which is the festival's biggest honor. The thriller film was written and helmed by Panahi and is a co-production between different countries, such as Luxembourg, France, and Iran.

Here's the official synopsis per IMDb:

"A small mishap triggered a chain reaction of ever-growing problems."

The film is slated to be released on September 10, 2025, in France. Here is a complete list of all the other winners from the 78th Cannes Film Festival.

It Was Just an Accident bags Palme d'Or at Cannes 2025

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Iranian thriller film It Was Just an Accident has won the Palme d'Or at Cannes 2025. The Jafar Panahi thriller film has bagged the highest honor of the festival. Panahi made the film without taking any permission from the authorities, as he has been critical of the Iranian government and has been imprisoned on several occasions.

Here is a complete list of winners from Cannes 2025.

Main competition sections of Cannes 2025

Palme d'Or: It Was Just an Accident - Jafar Panahi
Grand Prix: Sentimental Value - Joachim Trier
Best Actor: Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent
Best Actress: Nadia Melliti - Little Sister
Best Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho — The Secret Agent
Best Screenplay: Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne - Young Mothers
Special Award (Prix Special): Resurrection - Bi Gan
Jury Prize (Tie): Sirat - Oliver Laxe and Sound of Falling - Mascha Schilinski

Un Certain Regard

Top Prize: The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo - Diego Céspedes
Jury Prize: A Poet - Simon Mesa Soto
Best Director: Arab and Tarzan Naasser - Once Upon A Time in Gaza
Acting Award: Cleo Diara - I Only Rest in the Storm; Frank Dillane - Urchin
Special Mention: Norah - Tawfik Alzaidi
Best Screenplay: Harry Lighton - Pillion

Director's Fortnight

Europa Cinemas Label & SACD Prize: Wild Foxes - Valery Carnoy
Audience Award: The President’s Cake - Hasan Hadi

Other Awards

Camera d'Or: The President's Cake - Hasan Hadi
Camera d'Or Special Mention: My Father's Shadow - Akinola Davies Jr.
Palm Dog: Panda - The Love That Remains
Queer Palm: Little Sister - Hafsia Herzi
Short Film Palme d'Or: I'm Glad You're Dead Now - Tawfeek Barhom
Short Film Special Mention: Ali - Adnan Al Rajeev
Golden Eye Documentary Prize: Imago - Deni Oumar Pitsaev
Golden Eye Special Jury Prize: The Six Billion Dollar Man - Eugene Jarecki
FIPRESCI Prize (Competition): The Secret Agent — Kleber Mendonça Filho
FIPRESCI Prize (Parallel Sections): Dandelion's Odyssey - Momoko Seto
FIPRESCI Prize (Un Certain Regard): Urchin — Harris Dickinson

Critics' Week

Grand Prize: A Useful Ghost - Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
French Touch Prize: Imago — Deni Oumar Pitsaev
Canal+ Short Film Award: Erogenesis — Xandra Popescu
GAN Foundation Award for Distribution: Left-Handed Girl — Le Pacte
SACD Prize (Short): Sleepless City — Guillermo Galoe & Victor Alonso-Berbel
Leitz Cine Discovery Prize (Short): L'mina — Randa Maroufi
Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star: Theodore Pellerin — Nino

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Edited by Nimisha