It Was Just an Accident

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1:55

It Was Just an Accident

PG-13

2025

1h 45m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

208 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

50+ Verified 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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Wenlei Ma

The Nightly (AU)

Feb 10

4/5

The magnificent It Was Just An Accident's willingness to ask questions about the very nature of justice and revenge comes from a place of great generosity and humanity – and no one would have blamed Jafar Panahi if he was lacking in either.

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Jake Wilson

Sydney Morning Herald

Jan 28

4/5

While Panahi doesn’t presume to say when forgiveness is preferable to justice, he takes the question seriously – and while the ending isn’t exactly reassuring, some degree of hope is implied in the way he allows his characters freedom to make the choice.

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Roxana Hadadi

Pop Culture Happy Hour (NPR Podcast)

Jan 27

It is absolutely a political thriller. It is absolutely a character study. It is also hilarious.

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Tom Cassidy

Common Sense Media

2d

5/5

It Was Just an Accident is exciting, unusual, and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny in moments of dark humor that lift it above straightforward, entirely serious dramas.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Feb 8

3.5/4

It Was Just an Accident offers humor that is black, drama that is deep, and an ending that is unforgettable.

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Ankit Ojha

Cinema Elite

Feb 7

5/5

Each victim of "peg-leg" is treated with profound empathy and understanding, and the director refrains from passing moral judgement on any of them. Nor should we, the viewers, presume to do so, as we cannot begin to imagine what they have endured.

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Advait

Jan 13

Brilliant movie about the dissidents of the Iranian regime and what they had to go through,many thanks to the director

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Donald T

Nov 15

Great film. Brilliant.

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Starla C

Nov 14

didn't enjoy the story at all...

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roya

Nov 11

An excellent movie full of meaning and connotations!

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CA voter

Nov 10

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

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John D

Nov 2

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

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Vahid

Ebrahim Azizi

Eghbal

Mariam Afshari

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Hadis Pakbaten

Golrokh

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'It Was Just an Accident' Director Jafar Panahi Recommends Favorite Films

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'It Was Just an Accident' Director Jafar Panahi on Social Filmmaking and the Future

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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 (Strong Language|Smoking|Thematic Elements|Violence)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Persian
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 15, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 16, 2025
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.8M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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