Other forms of denunciation cinema are contingent, but the Iranian thriller is necessary. Whether with a more explicit and even belligerent style, or trying to allude to local problems in a subtle way, local cinematography has been exemplary for the rest of the world in how to use art to highlight the oppression of a regimewith increasingly refined and elaborate craftsmanship.

Some authors use the codes of thrillers to make the stories of injustices they decide to tell even more poignant, and which often put themselves in the spotlight. From there they create some of the most impressive movies of the yearas is happening in 2025 with 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' at the beginning of the year and right now with 'A Simple Accident' in its theatrical release.

Look at the accidents

Jafar Panahi premieres his latest acclaimed film after a formidable run at festivals around the world, starting with Cannes where it was awarded the Palme d'Or for best film. A title that is hardly questionable given the impressive result of the film, another essential of one of the best filmmakers in the Middle East.

A car mechanic suddenly receives a visit from a new customer to repair his vehicle, until suddenly his limp and way of speaking start to sound familiar. The next day he kidnaps him and prepares to try to bury him in the desertbelieving that it is his former torturer from when he was in prison.

Panahi had to film again from absolute secrecy, lacking official permits to do so. This begins to justify why most of the action takes place in vehicles, especially the mechanic's van, giving an incredible claustrophobic atmosphere to the entire story. Even in the small moments where the characters come out, there is still an oppression in the atmosphere that evokes what these previously tortured protagonists experienced in the past.

'A Simple Accident' and the Complicated Nature of Revenge

It is a great combination of ingenuity in the face of limitations and the use of cinematographic technique to enhance the story, which from the format of revenge ends up being a denunciation of the abuses and torture committed by the authorities of the regime. 'A simple accident' stands with a combative aura, although it does not hesitate to delve into wounds and complicating the supposedly cathartic nature of the revengeentering into moral dilemmas through conversations.

It is one of the toughest and most devastating films of the year, even being able to move into comic territory at times to show the crazy urban odyssey that its characters enter to achieve their goals. A sea of ​​dataphones is just one of the funny ideas that make the film more enriching, although Panahi does not hesitate to continue building an infernal and internal spiral for his protagonists, letting the uneasy feeling be transferred to the viewer. Its ending is incredible and a devastating punch where image and sound create a perfect discomfort that stays with you for hours after viewing.

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