Jafar Panahi Triumphs at 2025 Gotham Awards with Triple Win

Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi achieved a remarkable feat at the 2025 Gotham Awards in New York City, winning three prestigious awards for his film It Was Just an Accident. The accolades include Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature. This event, which is considered the opening ceremony of the film awards season, highlighted the resilience of independent filmmakers.

A Film Crafted Under Adversity

It Was Just an Accident narrates the intense story of former prisoners who kidnap a man they believe was complicit in their torture. Panahi directed the film secretly in Iran, defying government restrictions. His work has been recognized for its raw portrayal of trauma and the struggle for justice in oppressive regimes. This recognition for Panahi comes as he faces a one-year prison sentence, handed down in absentia by Iranian authorities. The director has long been targeted for his vocal criticism of the Iranian government, enduring repeated imprisonments since 2010 for what officials have termed “propaganda against the state.”

Despite a ban on filmmaking, Panahi has persistently created and smuggled his work out of the country, solidifying his status as a courageous voice in cinema. In his acceptance speech, he expressed, “This is not just a win for me, but for every artist who continues to tell the truth even when they’re silenced.” His remarks were met with a standing ovation from the audience.

Celebrating Artistic Excellence

The Gotham Awards ceremony, held at Cipriani Wall Street, emphasized the importance of artistic integrity and innovation in filmmaking. The event celebrated both emerging talents and established filmmakers. The evening’s top honor, Best Feature, was awarded to Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, a political thriller featuring actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, and Sean Penn. The film explores the lives of a former revolutionary, his daughter, and the soldier pursuing them.

Other notable winners included Sope Dirisu, who received the award for Outstanding Lead Performance for his role in My Father’s Shadow, and Wunmi Mosaku, who won Outstanding Supporting Performance for her work in Sinners. The Breakthrough Director award went to Akinola Davies Jr. for My Father’s Shadow, while Abou Sangaré, the star of Souleymane’s Story, was named Breakthrough Performer.

The complete list of winners illustrates the diversity and creativity celebrated at the Gotham Awards:

• Best Feature: One Battle After Another
• Best Director: Jafar Panahi (It Was Just an Accident)
• Outstanding Lead Performance: Sope Dirisu (My Father’s Shadow)
• Outstanding Supporting Performance: Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners)
• Best Original Screenplay: It Was Just an Accident (Jafar Panahi)
• Best Adapted Screenplay: Pillion (Harry Lighton)
• Breakthrough Director: Akinola Davies Jr. (My Father’s Shadow)
• Breakthrough Performer: Abou Sangaré (Souleymane’s Story)
• Best International Feature: It Was Just an Accident
• Best Documentary Feature: My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow

Panahi’s achievements resonate beyond personal accolades; they serve as a testament to the power of cinema in confronting censorship and advocating for freedom of expression. His triumph at the Gotham Awards underscores the importance of supporting artistic voices that challenge societal norms and strive for truth.

As the film industry looks forward to upcoming awards seasons, Panahi’s story remains a poignant reminder of the enduring spirit of creativity in the face of adversity.