ArmInfo. The 22nd Golden Apricot International Film Festival will open with the film "It was Just an Accident" by the iconic Iranian director Jafar Panahi. This work won the Palme d'Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. It is worth noting that this is Panahi's first film after his imprisonment, which he managed to personally present at Cannes. But is it a mere coincidence that this triumphant film will mark the opening of the Yerevan Golden Apricot? Let's figure it out together.
In 2010, Jafar Panahi was sentenced to 6 years in prison in Iran on charges of anti-regime propaganda. However, he only spent 2 months in prison thanks to the intervention of the Iranian-French Cultural Center and posting bail of $200, 000. As a result, the preventive measure was changed to house arrest and a complete ban on filming, writing scripts, and interviews. In 2022, Panahi was once again taken into custody after speaking out against the arrest of Iranian filmmakers. This time, the court enforced the 2010 sentence of 6 years in prison. While in prison, Panahi declared an indefinite hunger strike and was released in February 2023. And it is worth noting that Yerevan and the Golden Apricot marked his first public appearance after imprisonment.
Thanks to the efforts of the organizers, his film "Offside" was shown at the film festival, following by a meeting with fans in Yerevan. It is worth noting that Panahi's meeting with the audience in our country coincided with his birthday - July 11, along with the Yerevan presentation of the book by Russian film critic Anton Dolin "Act of Disobedience. Films of Jafar Panahi". During the 21st Golden Apricot, the director received the "Parajanov Thaler" award for his contribution to the global film industry. His presence at the festival was not only a significant cultural event, but also a powerful political and human victory. The Golden Apricot festival was the first to invite Panahi after many years of ban and imprisonment, making Yerevan the starting point of his return. Therefore, " It was Just an Accident" in Yerevan is not a just an accident.
Note that Jafar Panahi is one of the most acclaimed directors in the world, with 9 out of 10 of his films being banned in his homeland - Iran. Despite this, his works have received the most prestigious film awards. Specifically, he is the winner of the "Golden Lion" at the Venice Film Festival, the "Golden Bear" at the Berlin Film Festival, and the "Golden Camera" at Cannes. Additionally, Panahi was awarded a special jury prize for his film "No Bears".
"For over two decades, the Golden Apricot has remained the most influential and internationally recognized film festival in the region. Panahi's history once again emphasizes the festival's unique mission - supporting free art, global cultural dialogue and cinema independent of regimes. The presence of Jafar Panahi at the opening of the 22nd Golden Apricot International Film Festival will be a vivid confirmation of this mission," the festival organizers' statement reads.
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