Cinema Without Borders
For decades, Jafar Panahi has been one of the most powerful voices in global cinema — a filmmaker who defied silence, censorship, and imprisonment to tell stories that resonate far beyond the borders of his homeland. His recent arrival in the United States marks not just a personal victory, but a cultural milestone for artistic freedom. Panahi’s journey to the U.S. in 2025 was neither simple nor certain. After years of being denied the right to travel outside, he faced another bureaucratic hurdle: a months-long visa delay that nearly prevented him from attending the New York Film Festival (NYFF), where his latest film It Was Just an Accident was scheduled to premiere.
When he finally landed in the United States in early October, his presence drew standing ovations — not just from audiences in exile, but from film lovers, artists, and human-rights advocates around the world. His appearance at NYFF and later at screenings in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. became an emotional reminder of the resilience of creative voices under pressure. Panahi’s latest film, It Was Just an Accident, continues his long-standing tradition of blurring the line between fiction and documentary.
