Review of the 61st Chicago International Film Festival – It Was Merely an Accident

      **It Was Just an Accident, 2025.**

      **Written and Directed by Jafar Panahi.**

      **Cast includes Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr, George Hashem, Zadeh Delmaz, Najafi Afsaneh, and Najm Abadi.**

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      Vahid, an auto mechanic from Azerbaijan, has previously been imprisoned by Iranian authorities, where he was interrogated while blindfolded. One day, Eghbal enters his shop, and Vahid suspects him to be one of his former torturers due to the sound of his creaking prosthetic leg.

      One might think that a group of ex-prisoners of a corrupt Iranian regime would have a unified opinion on how to deal with their torturer, who one of them has taken captive and stored in a crate inside his van. Drawn from personal experiences, these complex moral dilemmas make Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident both gripping and thought-provoking. As each individual copes with their past trauma and seeks to progress in their own ways, their different perceptions of vengeance spark discussions among the group.

      Furthermore, the group is uncertain if this is truly the man who committed such terrible acts. Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri) experiences intense fear upon hearing the footsteps of a man, believed to be Eghbal (Ebrahim Azizi), a cruel interrogator. The film initially subverts expectations by showing Eghbal as a family man driving home, with his daughter joyfully singing in the car. Later, an animal is accidentally struck by a vehicle, which leads to the crucial encounter from afar and his subsequent abduction the next day in broad daylight.

      After driving Eghbal to an isolated location for questioning, doubts arise regarding whether Vahid has indeed identified the correct individual. Eghbal’s request for his daughter to lower the car’s volume seems suspicious, as the loud sounds may remind him of the torture he once inflicted. Vahid’s torture was so relentless that he could identify details about Eghbal’s injuries and gait, despite being blindfolded.

      Following vehement denials from Eghbal, Vahid seeks further opinions, introducing supporting characters in a somewhat awkward manner, occasionally stretching the concept of a short film into a feature-length runtime. These fellow ex-prisoners include a wedding photographer, a bride struggling to move on while her husband believes she has, and a hotheaded individual convinced that Eghbal is indeed guilty and prepared to enact justice immediately. Conversations frequently turn introspective, as characters wrestle with whether to seek vengeance or if doing so would transform them into something equally despicable. With each new moral challenge, the overall thematic conversation becomes richer.

      As It Was Just an Accident narrows down its character focus for the climax, featuring only Vahid and wedding photographer Shiva (Mariam Afshari), a final heated exchange with the man believed to be Eghbal is both explosive and intensely gripping, filmed in wide shots and bathed in red tones, with the man tied to a tree. Without revealing too much, some of the dialogue may appear minor yet carries significant weight, further developing the character who, for much of the film, is restrained and sedated.

      On one side, It Was Just an Accident serves as a poignant reminder that revenge may not be the solution. It is imbued with political and traumatic nuances that lend emotional depth and impact to the narrative. The fact that most of the actors are non-professionals is astonishing, given their powerful performances. The brilliance of this film is no coincidence; it showcases fiery, impactful filmmaking from the passionate Jafar Panahi, who bravely created this work after his release from prison for opposing the government.

      **Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★**

      **Robert Kojder**