Development, production, and finance outfit Medan is partnering with Neon to co-finance the U.S. theatrical release of It Was Just an Accident, from director Jafar Panahi. The Palme d’Or-winning film began its release in New York today, and will head to Los Angeles on Oct. 17 with a national rollout following soon after.
The thriller is also France’s official submission for Best International Feature in the Oscar race.
Written and directed by Panahi and produced by Panahi and Philippe Martin, It Was Just an Accident follows a group of former political prisoners who come across and confront their past, and, conceivably, their brutal jailhouse captor.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Neon. Jafar Panahi stands as one of cinema’s defining voices — a master whose career has redefined artistic courage and whose vision remains as globally urgent and necessary as ever,” said Negin Salmasi, Chief Content Officer at Medan, which develops, produces, and finances premium scripted film and television from established and emerging talent.
It Was Just an Accident is Panahi’s first film since being released from prison in Iran. On top of winning the Palme d’Or, the film has won the Sydney Award for Best Film and the Sydney International Film Festival. Panahi was also awarded the Silver Medallion Tribute for Director at the Telluride Film Festival, a Special Tribute Award at TIFF, the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at the Busan International Film Festival and the filmmaker tribute at the Mill Valley Film Festival.
It Was Just an Accident was screened at the Beyond Fest and the New York Film Festival last week. It also screened at the London Film Festival. According to Deadline, Panahi will next receive the Icon Award at the Middleburg Film Festival and a Lifetime Achievement award at the Rome Film Festival.
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