IRANIAN dissident filmmaker JafarPanahi won thePalmed’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his revenge thriller “It Was Just an Accident,” handing the festival’s top prize to a director who had been banned from leaving Iran for more than 15 years. Cate Blanchett on Saturday presented the award to Panahi, who three years ago was imprisoned in Iran before going on a hunger strike. For a decade and a half, he has made films clandestinely in his native country, including one film (“This Is Not aFilm”) made in his living room, and another (“Taxi”) set in a car.

 

The crowd rose in a thunderousstandingovationforthefilmmaker, who immediately threw up his arms and leaned back in his seat in disbelief before applaudinghiscollaboratorsand the audience around him. On stage, Panahi was cheered byCannesjurypresidentJuliette Binoche, who in 2010 in Cannes held up Panahi’s name to honour the director when he was under house arrest. Panahi said what mattered most was freedom in his country.

 

The win for “ItWas JustanAccident”extended anun precedented streak:The indie distributor Neon has now backed the last six Palme d’Or winners. The latest triumph for Neon, which acquired “It Was Just an Accident” after its premiere in Cannes, follows its Palmes for “Parasite”, “Titane”, “Triangle of Sadness”, “Anatomy of a Fall” and “Anora”. All those filmswereOscarcontendersand two, “Parasite” and“Anora”, won best picture. The Grand Prix, or second prize, was awarded to Joachim Trier’s Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value”, his lauded follow-up to “The Worst Person in the World”.