Introduction to Jafar Panahi
Jafar Panahi, the renowned Iranian filmmaker, has faced censorship and imprisonment in his home country for decades. Despite this, he never intended to be a political filmmaker. According to Panahi, a political filmmaker defends an ideology where the good guys follow it and the bad guys are against it. In his films, even those who behave badly are shaped by the system, not by personal choices.
A History of Persecution
After supporting protests by the opposition Green Movement, Panahi was given a 20-year ban from filmmaking and international travel by Iranian authorities in 2010. This did not stop him from pursuing his passion for filmmaking. Over the years, he found new ways to shoot, edit, and smuggle out his films. He turned his living room into a film set and used a car as a mobile studio.
Recent Sentence
The award-winning filmmaker has been sentenced in absentia to one year in prison by Iran’s Revolutionary Court for involvement in "propaganda activities." The court also imposed a two-year travel ban and banned Panahi from becoming involved in political or social groups. Panahi’s lawyer plans to appeal the verdict.
Career Milestones
Panahi’s path to success was not smooth. He was arrested in July 2022 and imprisoned in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison. After almost seven months and a hunger strike, he was released in February 2023. In a stunning legal victory, Iran’s Supreme Court overturned its original 2010 ruling. Panahi was legally free, but artistically still bound to a system to which he did not want to submit.
Filmmaking as an Act of Defiance
Panahi’s latest film, "It Was Just an Accident," is a slow-moving reckoning with state-sanctioned cruelty. The film was shot in secret and features unmasked female characters in violation of Iran’s hijab law. It tells the story of a group of former prisoners who believe they have found the man who tortured them and must decide whether they want to seek revenge.
A Personal and Autobiographical Work
The film is a personal and autobiographical work, inspired by conversations Panahi had in prison and stories people told him about the violence and brutality of the Iranian government. Panahi recalls his time in prison, where he was blindfolded during interrogation or when he left his cells. The film begins with a banal tragedy and culminates in a slow reckoning with state-sanctioned cruelty.
The Power of Filmmaking
Despite a career marked by adversity, Panahi insists he is simply doing the only thing he can. Filmmaking is the only option for him, and he cannot change or stop making films. He remembers a moment when he was given a harsh sentence, and he thought about what he would do next. He looked up at the beautiful clouds in the sky and immediately got his camera. He thought, "They can’t take that away from me, I can still photograph the clouds."
No Exile, No Escape
While many Iranian filmmakers have fled into exile, Panahi has no plans to join them. He is unable to adapt to another society and prefers to stay in Iran, where filmmaking is a communal act of improvisation and trust. He can call a colleague at 2 a.m. and work all night, which is not possible in Europe. Panahi is determined to continue making films, no matter the cost.
