Cannes 2025: Jafar Panahi wins Palme d'Or award; check full list of winners

Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi's defiant political thriller 'It Was Just an Accident' takes top honours at the 78th Cannes Film Festival

The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival wrapped up on Saturday with Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi clinching the Palme d'Or for his political drama 'It Was Just an Accident'. The victory marks a milestone for Panahi, who has faced a decades-long ban on filmmaking and travel restrictions imposed by the Iranian government.

 

Panahi’s film follows a group of former political prisoners grappling with past traumas. His presence at the festival was hailed as a powerful statement on artistic freedom and resilience.

  "For a filmmaker, every award is a delight. A lot of work has gone into winning this award. At one point, I had so many different images running through my mind. I was thinking about all the faces of my friends who were in prison with me. At that time, we were in prison, but the Iranian people were out on the streets fighting for freedom. Right then, I told myself that I was glad for them," said Panahi.

 

The festival's Grand Prix was awarded to Joachim Trier's 'Sentimental Value', while the Jury Prize was shared between Oliver Laxe's 'Sirât' and Mascha Schilinski's 'Sound of Falling'. Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho bagged the Best Director award for 'The Secret Agent', which also earned Wagner Moura the Best Actor prize. Nadia Melliti was named Best Actress for her role in 'The Little Sister'.

 

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne took home the Best Screenplay award for 'Young Mothers', while Bi Gan’s 'Resurrection' received the Special Jury Prize.

 

In the Un Certain Regard section, the top prize went to Diego Céspedes for 'The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo'. Simón Mesa Soto’s 'A Poet' earned the Jury Prize, and Tarzan and Arab Nasser were recognised as Best Directors for 'Once Upon a Time in Gaza'.

 

The Caméra d'Or for Best First Feature went to Hasan Hadi's 'The President's Cake', and Tawfeek Barhom’s 'I’m Glad You’re Dead Now' claimed the Short Film Palme d'Or. The festival also honoured Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington with honorary Palme d'Or awards for their contributions to cinema.

  

The jury, led by French actor Juliette Binoche, described the selection this year as "bold and politically charged", noting that the festival reaffirmed cinema’s power to provoke and inspire. 

Cannes 2025: Full list of winners

 

Feature Films

 

Palme d'Or

 

UN SIMPLE ACCIDENT

Director: Jafar Panahi

 

Grand Prix

 

AFFEKSJONSVERDI (Sentimental Value)

Director: Joachim Trier

 

Joint Jury Prize

 

SIRÂT

Director: Oliver Laxe

 

SOUND OF FALLING

Director: Mascha Schilinski

 

Best Director

 

Kleber Mendonça Filho for O AGENTE SECRETO (The Secret Agent)

 

Best Screenplay

 

Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for JEUNES MÈRES

 

Best Performance by an Actress

 

Nadia Melliti in LA PETITE DERNIÈRE directed by Hafsia Herzi

 

Best Performance by an Actor

 

Wagner Moura in O AGENTE SECRETO (The Secret Agent) directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho

 

Special Award

 

KUANG YE SHI DAI (Resurrection)

Director: Bi Gan

 

Short Films

 

Palme d'Or

I’M GLAD YOU’RE DEAD NOW

Director: Tawfeek Barhom

 

Special Mention

 

ALI

Director: Adnan Al Rajeev

 

Un Certain Regard

 

Un Certain Regard Prize

  LA MISTERIOSA MIRADA DEL FLAMENCO (The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo)

Director: Diego Céspedes (1st film)

 

Jury Prize

 

UN POETA (A Poet)

Director: Simón Mesa Soto

 

Best Directing

 

Arab and Tarzan Nasser for Once Upon a Time in Gaza

 

Best Actor

 

Frank Dillane in Urchin directed by Harris Dickinson

 

Best Actress

 

Cleo Diára in O Riso e a Faca (I Only Rest in the Storm) directed by Pedro Pinho

 

Best Screenplay

 

PILLION

Writer: Harry Lighton (1st film)

 

Caméra d'Or

 

Caméra d'Or Prize

THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE

Director: Hasan Hadi (Directors’ Fortnight)

 

Special Mention

 

MY FATHER’S SHADOW

Director: Akinola Davies Jr (Un Certain Regard)

 

La Cinef

 

First Prize

FIRST SUMMER

Director: Heo Gayoung (KAFA, South Korea)

 

Second Prize

12 MOMENTS BEFORE THE FLAG-RAISING CEREMONY

Director: Qu Zhizheng (Beijing Film Academy, China)

 

Joint Third Prize

GINGER BOY

Director: Miki Tanaka (ENBU Seminar, Japan)

 

WINTER IN MARCH

Director: Natalia Mirzoyan (Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonia)