Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident has won the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, which came to a close on Saturday night, May 25.
One of the most influential voices in Iran’s New Wave cinema, director Jafar Panahi accepted the award with a moving statement: “For a filmmaker, every award is a delight. A lot of work has gone into winning this award. At one point, I had so many different images running through my mind. I was thinking about all the faces of my friends who were in prison with me. At that time, we were in prison, but the Iranian people were out on the streets fighting for freedom. Right then, I told myself that I was glad for them.“
French actress Juliette Binoche served as jury president this year, and the festival was marked by strong political undertones from beginning to end. One of the most talked-about moments came when a large group of actors, directors, and producers publicly condemned Israel’s military actions in Gaza and described them as genocide.
See also: More Than 350 Stars Condemn Gaza Genocide in Open Letter at the 78th Cannes Film Festival
A long list of notable names, including Pedro Almodóvar, Javier Bardem, Gianni Amelio, Ralph Fiennes, Mark Ruffalo, Yorgos Lanthimos, Richard Gere, Ruben Östlund, Mike Leigh, Justine Triet, Guy Pearce, Ira Sachs, Ferzan Özpetek, Viggo Mortensen, Asif Kapadia, Mathieu Kassovitz, Sandra Hüller, Xavier Dolan, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, and Khalid Abdalla, came together to publish an open letter in Libération and Variety. The group declared: “We cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza“.
Veteran actor Robert De Niro received the Honorary Palme d’Or this year, and his acceptance speech also made headlines as he criticized U.S. President Donald Trump.
Throughout the festival, artists and attendees expressed their support for Palestine in various ways. At a special screening of The Six Billion Dollar Man, a documentary about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the director wore a T-shirt printed with the names of 4,986 children under the age of five who were killed in Gaza. The back of the shirt read “Stop Israel.”
Standout Winners from the 2025 Cannes Film Festival
Alongside Panahi’s Palme d’Or win, the Grand Prix (Jury Prize) was awarded to Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi), directed by Joachim Trier. The Best Director award went to Kleber Mendonça Filho for The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto).
In the festival’s Un Certain Regard section, Cannes’ second most prestigious competition, the top prize went to The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo (La misteriosa mirada del flamenco) by Diego Céspedes. The Jury Prize in this section was awarded to A Poet (Un poeta), directed by Simón Mesa Soto.
2025 Cannes: Full List of Winners
Feature Films
- Palme d’Or: It Was Just an Accident – Jafar Panahi
- Grand Prix: Sentimental Value – Joachim Trier
- Best Director: The Secret Agent – Kleber Mendonça Filho
- Best Actor: Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
- Best Actress: Nadia Melliti – Little Sister
- Joint Jury Prize: Sirat – Oliver Laxe & Sound of Falling – Mascha Schilinski
- Special Award: Resurrection – Bi Gan
- Best Screenplay: Young Mothers – Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Un Certain Regard
- Un Certain Regard Prize: The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo – Diego Céspedes
- Jury Prize: A Poet – Simón Mesa Soto
- Best Directing: Once Upon a Time in Gaza – Tarzan and Arab Nasser
- Best Screenplay: Pillion – Harry Lighton
- Best Actor: Frank Dillane – Urchin
- Best Actress: Cleo Diara – I Only Rest in the Storm
- Special Mention: Norah – Tawfik Alzaidi
Other Awards
- Camera d’Or (Best First Feature): The President’s Cake – Hasan Hadi
- Camera d’Or – Special Mention: My Father’s Shadow – Akinola Davies Jr.
- Short Film Palme d’Or: I’m Glad You’re Dead Now – Tawfeek Barhom
- Short Film – Special Mention: Ali – Adnan Al Rajeev
- L’Œil d’Or (Best Documentary): Imago – Déni Oumar Pitsaev
- L’Œil d’Or – Special Jury Prize: The Six Billion Dollar Man – Eugene Jarecki
- Queer Palm: Little Sister – Hafsia Herzi
- Palm Dog: Panda – The Love That Remains
