France Sends Jafar Panahi’s ‘It Was Just an Accident’ to the Oscars International Feature Race

Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi‘s “It Was Just an Accident,” which won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, will represent France in the Oscar race.

The film was chosen by France’s Oscar committee over other shortlisted films such as Richard Linklater’s ‘Nouvelle Vague,’ Rebecca Zlotowski’s ‘A Private Life,” “Arco,” an animated feature narrated and produced by Natalie Portman, and Hafsia Herzi’s queer coming-of-age drama “The Little Sister” which won Cannes’ best actress.

Acquired by Neon at Cannes, “It Was Just an Accident” is the first film from Panahi since his release from jail in Iran two years ago. The film follows a group of former prisoners who encounter a man they think could be the guard who tortured them. With the man held captive, they must decide whether or not to enact revenge.

In one of his first interviews following his 14-year ban on making movies,…