Palme d’Or winner Jafar Panahi on ‘It Was Just an Accident’ and returning to Iran under legal threat

The Business

Palme d’Or winner Jafar Panahi on ‘It Was Just an Accident’ and returning to Iran under legal threat

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Published on Feb 13, 2026, 6:00:00 AM
Total time: 00:28:32

Episode Description

This week, Kim Masters sits down with Academy Award nominated Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi to discuss his Palme d’Or winning film It Was Just an Accident. Panahi explains why he self finances his films, bringing in partners only after he decides the work is worthy of his signature, and how he has continued to shoot in secret despite years of arrests, censorship, and government bans. He also reflects on his decision to return to Iran after the awards season, even as he faces the possibility of another prison sentence.

Plus, Masters and Matt Belloni dig into the latest twists in the Warner Bros. sale, including Paramount’s new concessions aimed at winning over regulators and shareholders. They weigh the limits of President Trump’s influence over the deal, and how a major investor group’s shifting position could reshape the bidding landscape and spark further legal battles.

 

More about The Business

Lively banter about entertainment industry news and in-depth interviews with directors, producers, writers and actors, hosted by award-winning journalist Kim Masters of The Hollywood Reporter.