It Was Just an Accident

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It Was Just an Accident

PG-13

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1h 45m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

97%

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150 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

What begins as a minor accident sets in motion a series of escalating consequences.

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Critics Consensus

Perhaps the most bluntly political film by Jafar Panahi yet, It Was Just an Accident is a defiant rebuke of authoritarianism that still delivers the entertainment value of a gripping thriller.

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Chase Hutchinson

Seattle Times

Bursting with humanity and dark humor, it’s a sharply well-acted, written and directed modern thriller that grapples with urgently existential questions of justice, violence and resistance.

Nov 13, 2025

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

There are moments where you just shake it's so ridiculously funny.

Nov 11, 2025

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Christina Newland

Sight & Sound

Panahi melds the personal and political in the most subtle and searing of ways.

Nov 4, 2025

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Ruth Maramis

FlixChatter Film Blog

Panahi weaves a gripping tale of reckoning with collective trauma, culminating in a breathtaking final shot that leaves a lasting impression. The fact that the film was made in secret makes it even more remarkable.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 13, 2025

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Anna Hoang

Boston Hassle

Outwardly, [the film] may seem outrageous to laugh at, but Panahi’s lived experience for the absurd legal interference in Iran’s arts gives him the edge to make a piece of sordid affairs.

Nov 12, 2025

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Sammie Purcell

Rough Draft Atlanta

Made in secret by a filmmaker who understands the evils of authoritarianism better than most, “It Was Just an Accident” offers a sharp rebuke to that authoritarianism, wrestling with complex questions about justice and humanity.

Nov 11, 2025

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roya

An excellent movie full of meaning and connotations!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/11/25

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CA voter

Storyline twisted to reveal Iranian history - the ensemble actors all well cast

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/10/25

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John D

Movie was crazy well acted and paced. Long shots were long without seeming show-y or film school-y

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/02/25

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kamran

Nicely done, showing political realities, suffering of people intertwined with humanity.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/30/25

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Susi

Fantastic movie with Hitchcockesque ending. Highly recommended

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/30/25

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Danny v

If this was not an Iranian movie I would have written about the poor dialogues, the not so good acting and the disappointment that an very interesting theme is developed into a film where people just talk about the subject, but never live it. And if that would have been the director's choice the film does not work for me: Not as a start for a moral discussion and not as a piece of art. But since this is an Iranian movie I add one star out of sympathy, which is not how it should be, but let's tell that to all the reviewers and festival jury's.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/13/25

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It Was Just an Accident: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

What begins as a minor accident sets in motion a series of escalating consequences.

Director: Jafar Panahi
Producer: Jafar Panahi
Screenwriter: Jafar Panahi
Distributor: NEON
Production Co: Les Films Pelléas
Rating: PG-13 (Thematic Elements|Strong Language|Smoking|Violence)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Persian
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 15, 2025, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $869.6K
Runtime: 1h 45m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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