Why we picked it – Jafar Panahi makes witty and poignant films while being unflinchingly critical of the regime, Winner of Cannes Palme D’Or in 2025.

Synopsis – Driving with his family at night, a man accidentally kills a dog, forcing a stop at a nearby garage. Vahid, one of the mechanics at the garage thinks he recognises the rhythmic squeak of the man’s artificial leg as that of his former prison torturer. The next day, consumed by vengeance, Vahid kidnaps the driver intending to bury him alive. But the victim vehemently denies the accusation and, plagued by sudden doubt, Vahid contacts a succession of fellow survivors. None can be certain; like Vahid, they were all blindfolded during their interrogations. Finally, one of them is convinced in his identification and demands immediate death; the others hold him back. Ultimately, the captive breaks down in tears, admitting his identity but claiming his atrocities were merely a way to make a living. There is a masterly ending that I will not spoil here.

One for enthusiasts. It is over an hour long. Panahi is thoughtful and everything is translated but worth it to see two master filmmakers from different generations and backgrounds.

The film– The revenge drama is one of the oldest narratives in existence; a midnight road accident and a gathering of old friends are also familiar plot devices. Despite the grim reality of the story, the film retains the quirky humour that characterise Jafar Panahi’s films. The kidnapping is amateurish, the friends’ chaotic, arguments over their captive teeter on the edge of farce and, careering through Tehran, there are references to Waiting for Godot. Yet, beneath the slapstick is a serious core of moral dilemma and unhealed trauma. Every second of the film was shot illegally, placing the cast and crew at personal risk. Defying an official ban, Panahi has continued to work covertly, restricting much of the film’s action to the claustrophobic confines of a van.

Jafar Panahi – Panahi’s artistic defiance has come at a staggering personal cost. Initially sentenced in 2010 to six years in prison with a 20-year filmmaking ban, he was arrested again in 2022. Following a seven-month detention, he was released in early February 2023 after a hunger strike. In December 2025, having temporarily left Iran, Panahi was sentenced in absentia to an additional year in prison and given a travel ban for “propaganda activities” against the nation. This ruling also barred him from joining any political or social organizations and prohibited him from leaving Iran for two years. Panahi continued to protest the state’s violent repression of popular uprisings from abroad throughout late 2025 and early 2026. Nevertheless, following the film’s commercial campaign in the West, Panahi voluntarily returned to Iran in April 2026. In June, Tehran’s Revolutionary Court upheld his one-year prison term. He continues to wage his battle through legal appeals.

Director and Writer: Jafar Panahi; Other Writers: Shadmehr Rastin, Nader Saeivar; Cinematography: Amin Jafari Iran, 2025, 95mins, 12A

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