The 2025 Palme d’Or went to Jafar Panahi; Juliette Binoche presided over the jury
The 2025 Palme d’Or went to Jafar Panahi; Juliette Binoche presided over the jury
The renowned French actress and longtime collaborator of Abbas Kiarostami presided over the jury of the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
According to the Bazigar TV news agency, the 78th Cannes Film Festival witnessed a historic victory for Jafar Panahi with his film “A Simple Accident” on its closing night, which brought home Iran’s second Palme d’Or after Abbas Kiarostami. This edition of the festival was held under the presidency of Juliette Binoche, the Oscar-winning actress and longtime collaborator of Kiarostami. Binoche, who had previously won the Best Actress award at Cannes for her role in Kiarostami’s “Certified Copy,” this time played a key role in selecting the winners.
Winners of the Main Competition (In Competition)
The main awards of this edition were presented as follows:
Award Winner Film Producing Country
Palme d’Or Jafar Panahi A Simple Accident Iran/France
Grand Prix Joachim Trier Emotional Value Norway/France
Best Director Kleber Mendonça Filho Secret Agent Brazil/France
Best Actress Nadia Tereszkiewicz Little Sister France/Germany
Best Actor Wagner Moura Secret Agent Brazil/France
· The Palme d’Or went to Jafar Panahi for the film “A Simple Accident,” which is considered the second Palme d’Or for Iranian cinema after Abbas Kiarostami’s film “Taste of Cherry” in 1997. This film, made without an official permit, was widely praised by critics.
· Juliette Binoche, as president of the jury, played an important role in selecting the winners. She had previously acted in Abbas Kiarostami’s “Certified Copy” and won the Best Actress award at Cannes for this role.
Juliette Binoche: From Collaborating with Kiarostami to Jury Presidency
· Juliette Binoche, the renowned French actress, is the second time in Cannes history that a woman has presided over the jury consecutively. She replaced Greta Gerwig, the American director.
· Binoche, who won the Best Actress award at Cannes in 2010 for her role in Abbas Kiarostami’s “Certified Copy,” is one of the most recognizable faces in world cinema. Her resume includes collaborations with great directors such as Krzysztof Kieślowski, Michael Haneke, and David Cronenberg.
· Speaking about her role as jury president, Binoche said: “I look forward to sharing this experience with the members of the jury and the people.” She also mentioned that she first attended Cannes in 1985 as a young actress and never imagined she would return 40 years later in this role.
Winners of Other Important Sections
· Caméra d’Or:
· Hassan Hadi for the film “The President’s Cake” (Iraq) – This was the first time an Iraqi film won an award at Cannes.
· Palme d’Or for Best Short Film:
· Tawfik Barhoum for the film “I Am Happy That You Are Dead Now” – literal translation provided, actual English title may differ).
· Un Certain Regard:
· The main award went to Diego Céspedes for the film “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo” (Chile/France).
Main Competition Winners Table
Award Winner Film Producing Country
Palme d’Or Jafar Panahi A Simple Accident Iran/France
Grand Prix Joachim Trier Emotional Value Norway/France
Best Director Kleber Mendonça Filho Secret Agent Brazil/France
Best Actress Nadia Tereszkiewicz Little Sister France/Germany
Best Actor Wagner Moura Secret Agent Brazil/France
The 78th Cannes Film Festival ended with the historic victory of Jafar Panahi and his film “A Simple Accident.” This edition was presided over by Juliette Binoche, the renowned French actress and longtime collaborator of Abbas Kiarostami. Binoche, who had previously won the Best Actress award at Cannes for her role in “Certified Copy,” this time appeared in the role of jury president. Cannes 2025 once again solidified its role as the world’s most important cinematic event.
Iranian filmmaker Abouzar Akbari was not able to prepare his new film for the Cannes Festival this year. This year, he unveiled his new book on editing.