Want to get into the films of Iran’s Jafar Panahi, who went from imprisonment to Cannes? He’s happy to help

Jafar Panahi, who grew up in a working-class area of south Tehran, used to save every bit of money his father gave him to go to the cinema. Ironically, it was actually *acting* – being in front of the camera – that eventually led him to become a world-renowned and courageous director.

As a child, Jafar Panahi was a bit overweight and was chosen for a short film because of his build. The film, made by an Iranian organization focused on children’s education, needed two kids with different body types – one larger and one smaller. While filming his part at a library, Panahi became fascinated with the filmmaking process.

Panahi explains, through an interpreter at a Santa Monica hotel, that a cameraman wouldn’t allow him to operate the camera himself. This experience sparked a strong desire to view the world from behind the lens.

Now 65, Panahi has been able to pursue his lifelong passion for filmmaking, despite living under Iran’s strict government, which has sometimes limited his freedom. He recently arrived in the U.S. after facing difficulties obtaining a visa, and is now attending several film festivals.

Despite facing severe restrictions and even imprisonment, filmmaker Panahi continues to create films that address important social issues in his country, such as the challenges faced by women, government surveillance, and economic inequality. His commitment to his work has come at a significant personal cost.

Director Martin Scorsese is among those publicly supporting Jafar Panahi, recently joining him for a discussion at the New York Film Festival where Panahi’s new film, “It Was Just an Accident,” received a standing ovation. The film, a complex political thriller opening Wednesday, centers on a group who think they’ve found the man responsible for torturing them during their imprisonment.

When “It Was Just an Accident” unexpectedly won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival in May, it felt like a significant victory for Panahi, especially considering the Iranian government’s attempts to suppress his work. Because Iran wouldn’t submit the film for Oscar consideration, France has entered it into the international feature film category.

Jafar Panahi is only the second Iranian director to win the prestigious Palme d’Or award. The first was Abbas Kiarostami, who won in 1997 with his film “Taste of Cherry.” Early in his career, Panahi reached out to Kiarostami while Kiarostami was filming “Through the Olive Trees” in 1994. Panahi remembers one day Kiarostami driving him outside the city and asking him to put on a blindfold.

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Kiarostami filmed a key scene for “Through the Olive Trees” – a young man and a girl he’d been following appeared tiny against a large, green, rolling hillside. It was in that moment that Panahi realized what made Kiarostami’s filmmaking unique, and how it contrasted with his own approach.

Panahi remembers that after a certain point, Kiarostami consistently positioned himself to face the outdoors. Panahi, however, always preferred to face people. Kiarostami tended to show people as small figures within vast landscapes, while Panahi focused on intimate, close-up views of them.

Panahi appreciated how Kiarostami captured the simple beauty of the natural world. Panahi himself, however, was more interested in observing how people interact and behave within society.

The Times sat down with Panahi to discuss his most notable films.

Through a child’s eyes

Jafar Panahi’s charming first feature film, “The White Balloon” (1995), began as a short made for Iranian television. It tells the story of two siblings trying to get a goldfish for the Persian New Year, but their simple mission runs into unexpected difficulties.

From the very beginning of his filmmaking, Panahi has woven social issues into his stories, often through the children his characters meet. A key example is an Afghan boy, close in age to the main characters, who is forced to work selling balloons instead of celebrating the holiday.

It was simpler to create a movie like “The White Balloon” than one with a direct political message, because films focused on children faced fewer restrictions from censors.

Looking back at my earlier work, I realize I often voiced adult concerns *through* the mouths of children. It was a way to address difficult topics, but I eventually felt I needed to be more direct. I decided to stop using children as stand-ins and tackle things head-on, which meant moving away from child protagonists altogether.

Panahi doesn’t believe working with children is difficult, but he always starts casting by visiting the places where his characters would naturally be found. For example, when he was making ‘The White Balloon,’ he began by looking for a tailor.

He began going to tailors, and the most important thing was finding someone who looked like the character he envisioned.

Panahi thinks that with the right direction, anyone can deliver a good performance. He believes a poor performance isn’t the actor’s failing, but rather a reflection of the director’s choices.

The plight of Iranian women

When most filmmakers avoided addressing sexism enforced by the Iranian government, Jafar Panahi and Kambuzia Partovi bravely tackled the challenges faced by Iranian women in their 2000 film, “The Circle.” The movie follows the interconnected stories of several women, including those recently freed from prison, as they support one another while living under strict limitations in a male-dominated society.

I see myself as a filmmaker who responds to social issues, so I started thinking about what stories society offered. I quickly realized that those facing the most restrictions were women, and that became my focus,” Panahi explains.

“The Circle” portrays the pressures faced by women who experience constant monitoring, lack autonomy in their choices, and are judged for even minor personal habits like smoking.

Jafar Panahi feels that while the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom protests brought some changes to Iran, the situation is complex. He explains that the government didn’t ease restrictions willingly—instead, the people pushed boundaries themselves. While things may *appear* more open now, he believes new, more subtle limitations have taken their place.

Despite being made some time ago and winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, “The Circle” still powerfully criticizes its subject matter. Panahi believes a film is always important, either because it speaks to the present moment or because it captures a piece of history.

Love for homeland

Jafar Panahi really struck a nerve with “Offside” back in 2006. The film tackles the issue of gender discrimination in a really clever way. It centers around a teenage girl who’s desperate to see a World Cup qualifying match, but women were banned from stadiums at the time. So, she comes up with a pretty bold plan – she disguises herself as a boy to sneak in. It’s a simple premise, but it highlights a really important social issue, and thankfully, things have loosened up a bit – women are now allowed at select matches.

I was really struck by how Jafar Panahi tells this story – he uses these funny, real-life moments, like the fact that there’s no women’s restroom at the stadium, to really highlight what’s going on with young people in Iran. He explained it perfectly: it’s not just about women wanting to watch a game, it’s about them wanting to express themselves and reclaim a right that’s been denied to them. It’s a simple thing, wanting to be there, but it means so much more.

He clarifies that the song used in the movie isn’t Iran’s current national anthem. It’s an older tune that resonates with the Iranian people, a song they connect with on their own, rather than one imposed by the government.

He explains that the film’s patriotism isn’t about nationalistic pride. Instead, it focuses on a deep connection to one’s homeland, but without blindly accepting any particular beliefs. It’s a desire to shape the homeland according to one’s own vision, rather than being told what to believe or how to feel about it.

Jafar Panahi’s legal issues worsened following his film “Offside.” In 2009, he was prevented from traveling abroad after participating in a demonstration for a murdered student. A year later, the Iranian government accused him of spreading anti-government propaganda and sentenced him to six years in prison, along with a 20-year ban on filmmaking. Although he was released on bail after two months, his freedom remained precarious.

Turning the camera around

After being prohibited from filmmaking, Jafar Panahi made a unique film in 2011 called “This Is Not a Film.” He turned the camera on himself, documenting his life at home with the help of Mojtaba Mirtahmasb. The film explores his difficulties and his passion for filmmaking, showing him discussing projects he can’t make and even dealing with his mischievous pet iguana, ultimately creating a revealing look at the director himself.

Panahi explains he wrestled with the idea of giving up his life’s work. After being forbidden to create films, he decided to write a story about a filmmaker discussing the process of making a movie with a friend – and he titled it ‘This Is Not a Film’.

Panahi compares his own artistic defiance to the determination of the women in “Offside.”

He explained that this situation is about regaining lost rights, much like the women in the film ‘Offside’ found a way to persevere despite obstacles.

Everything becomes part of the story

Panahi recalls that during his initial questioning by Iranian officials, he was asked why he chose to make films dealing with sensitive topics. He says his only response was that he feels compelled to – that he can’t help but address these issues in his work.

I explained to the person questioning me that while I couldn’t help being interrogated at that moment, I knew elements of it would inevitably end up in my movies. It’s not a conscious decision, it just naturally happens.

Jafar Panahi’s 2015 film, “Taxi,” cleverly blends documentary and fiction. Filmed in secret, it’s both funny and insightful. Panahi plays a taxi driver in Tehran, picking up diverse passengers – including a seller of illegal DVDs, a wounded man with his worried wife, and two elderly women eager to reach their destination – and engaging them in conversation.

Using the car’s dashboard as a camera mount, the film feels like a hidden, moving set. Panahi and the actors largely made up their lines as they went, and the resulting conversations are often as sharp and insightful as any scripted dialogue.

He recalls a moment during filming when he thought he heard a noise. He stopped the car and asked his niece if she heard it too, but she didn’t. Then, he asked Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human rights lawyer featured in the film, and she also said she hadn’t heard anything. However, she pointed out that many former political prisoners often believe they are hearing voices, which she identified as a common issue.

Storytelling by any means necessary

Despite still being officially prohibited from filmmaking, Panahi challenged his restrictions in his 2022 film, “No Bears.” The movie features a character loosely based on Panahi himself, a director determined to create even if he has to work through others, set near the border of Iran and Turkey.

You know, it’s funny – when everything feels locked down and travel is impossible, my mind immediately goes to movies about journeys. I started thinking, what if you *had* to film across borders? Like, sending your crew ahead, and directing everything remotely through something like WhatsApp – that would *be* the movie, wouldn’t it? A film made *because* of the travel restrictions.

Panahi recalls students expressing their frustration with the challenges of filmmaking in Iran. He wondered if he should simply complain along with them, or find a solution. He now believes the most compelling Iranian films are being made in the same way they began – secretly and outside of traditional channels.

Panahi always prefers to occupy himself rather than dwell on his conditions.

I was so upset to hear that after Jafar Panahi’s film “No Bears” came out, and he spoke up for other filmmakers who were imprisoned, the Iranian government finally decided to enforce the six-year sentence they’d given him. It was awful knowing he was in jail, but thankfully, after seven months and a hunger strike, he was released early in 2023. It was a huge relief!

Defiant as ever, Panahi premiered “It Was Just an Accident” two years later.

He explains, with a sense of acceptance, that he was pushed into this situation. Once that happened, he found it easier to overcome challenges, because he was fully committed to achieving what others were trying to prevent.

2025-10-15 21:02