Could this co -production Luxembourg bring the palm d’Or?

He is celebrated in Cannes, but in his home country, Iran, he is considered a dissident: in his new film « Un Simple Accident », which there was hardly any information until the world premiere on Tuesday evening, Jafar Panahi is again clearly against the regime. A daring, intensive and meaningful 24-hour drama, which was co-produced by the Luxembourg Bidibul Productions Society and was secretly shot in Iran.

The chances that this co -production Luxembourg will bring in an award from the Croisette are not that bad. Whether it could be the most important award in the competition, the Palme d’Or, will turn out on Saturday evening at the award ceremony.

Last year the decelerated social drama « All We Imagine as Light », which was co -produced by Les Films Fauves, was awarded the Grand Prix. This could now also be possible for « un simple accident » – or maybe the price for the best script.

Other strong contributions, such as Oliver Laxes Roadmovie « Sirāt » or Ari Asters, compete for crazy Corona film « Eddington » about fake news, racism, balance of power and police violence in the USA for the golden palm. The German film « look into the sun » is also hyped by many critics. Lynne Ramsays « Die » My Love « with Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson in the leading roles could also bring in the two actors.

The consequences of torture in prison

In « Uns Simple Accident » it is not only the political message that is particularly decisive, but also the way Jafar Panahi tells the story about the effects of radical and violent regimes in Iran. In about an hour and a half he draws the image of a small group that was wrongly imprisoned and tortured in prison … and which now seems ready to do in inhuman deeds.

As a reminder: Panahi himself spent several months in the Evin prison, since he was sentenced to a prison sentence in 2010 due to his critical attitude towards the regime and the Islamic Republic and was banned with a long-term professional ban. Since he stepped into a hunger strike, the director, who has always managed to make films in recent years.

But back to the content of « un Simple Accident ». One of the previously imprisoned, Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri), happens to meet one of the officials (Ebrahim Azizi), who tortured them at the time. In the affect he decides to kidnap it. He wants to take revenge on him – preferably buried him alive.

However, since he is no longer 100 % sure of the identity of the official, he traces other former detainees. Including Hamid (Mohamad Ali Elyas more), Shiva (Maryam Afsharimovahed) and Golrokh (Hadis Pakbaten). But ultimately the question arises: is violence really the right answer? Does the murder of her torture do justice or does this act not make you as inhumane as those that you loathe?

Wounds that never heal

It is certainly the highly political content of the film that takes one in this way and makes it a small masterpiece. But « Un Simple Accident » also convinces stylistically. The narrative pace is slowed down, but that is not meticulously recorded with the camera.

Rather, this accompanies the protagonists and who can also be seen constantly without veils on the large screen without a veil. It is happy to be filmed out of the car or in the car itself. The camera dares very close to the performers – so that the gradually overcay emotions come to light even better.

The individual figures are more or less developed: it turns out who of them are rather giving and acts with mind and who is eaten with anger. What is certain, however, is that the life of everyone is characterized by custody and that these wounds will never heal again.

Because as Jafar Panahi AFP reports announced at the press conference in Cannes: « Not we have created un simply Accident ‘, but the Islamic Republic. » The drama is the result of a brave, persecuted filmmaker and a reaction to his time in prison.