Editing in Secrecy: How Amir Etminan Cut Jafar Panahi's Palme d'Or Winner
Editor Amir Etminan risked his own freedom to edit Jafar Panahi's Palme d’Or-winning film. He recalls, through an interpreter, the moment Panahi invited him:
“When Mr. Panahi called and invited me to meet him, I didn’t ask any questions because I knew the secrecy and the sensitivity of his projects. So I accepted the invitation and went to have a conversation in person.”
The film, It Was Just an Accident, is a stark exploration of trauma, moral compromise, and the harsh decisions imposed by power. Its themes stem from Panahi’s personal experience of imprisonment.
Jafar Panahi’s Imprisonment and Legal Battles
- In March 2010, Panahi was arrested, accused of “making propaganda against the regime” related to a documentary on the controversial 2009 reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
- He spent 86 days in Evin Prison before being released on bail pending a hearing.
- In December 2010, Panahi was sentenced to six years in prison and given a 20-year ban on filmmaking, traveling abroad, and speaking to the media.
- An appeal was denied the following year.
- Until 2022, Panahi was mostly confined to his Tehran home.
- On July 11, 2022, he was arrested again for inquiring about fellow detained Iranian filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof (The Seed of the Sacred Pig) and Mostafa Aleahmad.
“The film’s foundation is deeply personal, reflecting Panahi’s time in prison and the consequences of oppression,” Etminan noted.
Editing such a sensitive project demanded discretion and courage due to the political dangers involved.
Summary: Amir Etminan courageously edited Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or winner under tight secrecy, reflecting the filmmaker's prolonged persecution and resistance under Iran’s regime.