Iranian film has long been characterized by its humanism, and the films of Jafar Panahi are no exception. But what happens to your humanism when others have wronged you? What should be the limits of forgiveness? These are the questions that Panahi is preoccupied with fresh off an imprisonment from the Iranian government for his support of the opposition party. His new film, It Was Just an Accident, shows a man who is trying to reconcile his humanism with his desire for revenge.
It Was Just an Accident opens with Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri) recognizing the voice and gait of Eghbal (Ebrahim Azizi). Years earlier, Eghbal had tortured Vahid and many others while they were imprisoned by the Iranian authorities. Vahid manages to kidnap Eghbal and nearly buries him alive, but Eghbal claims that Vahid has mistaken his identity. Vahid then enlists the help of other former detainees to confirm that he has the right man so that he can exact his revenge.
A group of five detainees is eventually assembled, all of whom have different stories to share about how Eghbal tormented them, and different perspectives on what should be done to him. As such, the film is very dialogue-heavy and philosophical. Panahi often lets these conversations play out in a single shot, immersing us in the ideas and opinions first and foremost. He has some stuff to get off his chest.
Panahi is no stranger to placing himself in his films. He had done this occasionally early in his career, but his films have had a significant shift in style since 2010, when he received a twenty year ban on making films and a six year prison sentence from the Iranian government. His next five feature films, which were made illegally, have featured himself as a character – in documentary, faux-documentary, or a fictionalized version of himself. The ban has limited the types of films he can make while hiding their development from the authorities, which has certainly informed their content. But he also seems to be reflecting on his identity and his career after being banned from the thing that he loves the most, which has made for some fascinating art.
It Was Just an Accident represents a bit of a break from this pattern. First of all, Panahi doesn’t appear in the film – instead, he is using a proxy character to represent his perspective. Second, Panahi is not reflecting on himself as a filmmaker here, but on his experiences with imprisonment. It is his boldest critique of the Iranian authorities yet – and his films haven’t been exactly shy on that point until now.
But more than an external critique, Panahi again seems to be firmly focused on an inner conflict. The reason all of this works is because it is born of personal experience. Many films have been made about trauma and forgiveness, but few from directors who have experienced this level of suffering. It is much easier to show mercy and rise above in theory. Panahi seems to be actually wrestling with the arguments and working them out through the film; the process is the message. May we all think so deeply and thoughtfully about our emotions and how to reconcile them with our beliefs.
