Palme d’Or-winning director Jafar Panahi returns residence

An Iranian filmmaker has been cheered at residence after profitable Cannes Film Festival’s prime prize.

Jafar Panahi touched down in Tehran’s worldwide airport on Monday, two days after his Palme d’Or victory for revenge thriller It Was Just Accident.

Panahi has been imprisoned a number of occasions in Iran, most not too long ago for protesting the detention of filmmakers criticising the authorities. This was his first go to to Cannes in 15 years, the place his movies have been proven in his absence on account of a journey ban.

His profitable movie depicted torture in Iranian jails and ignited a back-and-forth between French and Iranian officers.

The celebrated director, who now holds prizes from Europe’s three main movie festivals, was seen grinning and holding a bouquet of flowers as he embraced his mates.

Among the gang was fellow Iranian movie director Medhi Nadari, who shared footage of the second on Instagram calling Panahi’s return “history-making”.

One individual was heard shouting “girl, life, freedom” as Panahi handed by means of the airport, in line with the Agence France-Presse information company. The phrase was the slogan for protests that broke out throughout Iran following the loss of life of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022.

In his acceptance speech at Cannes, Panahi mentioned, “What’s most vital now could be our nation and the liberty of our nation,” and known as for Iranians to “be a part of forces”.

“No-one ought to dare inform us what sort of garments we should always put on, what we should always do, or what we should always not do,” he mentioned.

The movie’s win has given rise to a diplomatic row between French and Iranian officials, after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot dubbed it “a gesture of resistance in opposition to the Iranian regime’s oppression” in a put up on X.

IRNA, Iran’s state media, reported {that a} French diplomat had been summoned in Tehran in order that it might formally protest the feedback as “insulting and unfounded”.

Returning to Tehran fulfils a pledge Panahi made whereas talking to reporters in Cannes.

“As quickly as I end my work right here I’ll return,” he mentioned, including “I’ll ask myself what’s my subsequent movie going to be.”