It was just an accident when a father (Ebrahim Azizi) runs over and kills a dog while driving at night. His daughter becomes upset. But the mother is unmoved, brushing it off as the will of God. The car later breaks down.

Winner of the 2025 Cannes Palme d’Or, the secretly filmed movie by Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi is a political fable that is surprisingly melodramatic and heavy on slapstick.

The story follows Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri), a mechanic at the auto shop where the driver who accidentally killed the dog brings his car for repairs.

Vahid is suddenly gripped by fear at the driver’s presence.

Before we fully understand why, he attacks the man in broad daylight, beats him unconscious in a crowded street, and hides him in his van, convinced that the driver is Eghbal, aka “Peg Leg,” the man who tortured him during his imprisonment.

Soon, the van fills up with Peg Leg's other victims. They argue, shout, and behave in exaggerated, almost cartoonish ways as they debate what to do with their captive, a dynamic that quickly becomes grating.

The allegorical comedy functions as a commentary on Iran’s theocratic-authoritarian system, and asks whether the characters, who are victims of impunity, will choose vindictiveness, and whether turning the tables on their tormentor is justified or offers anything resembling closure.

Heavy on surface-level gags, the film’s tonal lightness may be deliberate, but it repeatedly undercuts the gravity of its political implications, making the collective trauma it alludes to feel strangely weightless.

It Was Just an Accident earns its recognition for what it represents, not really for its artistic craft. A distinction that becomes hard to ignore for an award meant to honor cinematic excellence.

While Panahi’s film carries undeniable political weight, it is often severely annoying and difficult to sit through. But it may appeal to viewers who prefer lighter films built around broad, lowbrow comedy with political statements.

0.5 out of 5 stars

In select Philippine cinemas until 3 February 2026.