2025 Cannes Film Festival
Simultaneous presence of representatives of official and underground Iranian films at Cannes 2025

By Babak Ghafouri Azar, Radio Farda
April 24, 2025

The 78th International Cannes Film Festival has become a special period for Iranian cinema, as two films coming from its different currents, the official and the underground, have been selected in the main competition section of this prestigious international event.

Thierry Frémaux, artistic director of the Cannes Film Festival, had previously announced Jafar Panahi's latest film “It was Just an Accident” as one of the films to compete in the festival's competition section.

On Wednesday, April 23, with less than three weeks until the opening of the festival, its officials announced the addition of several more films to its various sections, including “Woman and Child” by Saeed Roustayi.


A scene from “Woman and Child”

This is by now the first time that two films in the competition section are both directed by Iranian filmmakers and are produced in Iran. "It was Just an Accident" was made in Iran without obtaining government permits and without observing the restrictive law of mandatory hijab, and is said to be harshly critical about the Iranian regime.

This film can be considered a new representative of the powerful unofficial and underground current in Iranian cinema, which has had a very strong presence in major international festivals in recent years.

“Woman and Child” is Saeed Roustayi's fourth feature film. He previously appeared in the competition section of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival with “Leila’s Brothers”. After it was screened and won the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes 2022, and it was the first time an Iranian film did it, it was confiscated by the Iranian Cinema Organization, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Mr. Roustayi was sentenced to six months in prison and banned from working for five years.


The cast of “Leila’s Brothers” at the Cannes Film Festival 2022

Granting a production license to “Woman and Child” could mean the cancellation of previous judicial rulings against Saeed Roustayi. Hours before the Cannes announced the addition of “Woman and Child” to its main competition list, head of the Iranian Cinema Organization, Raed Faridzadeh, by confirming the film's production license in an interview with IRNA News Agency, said: “After going through the administrative procedures for this and many other films, a screening license will definitely be issued to allow them to appear internationally and in festivals.”

The French distributor of the film has released the latest version of what the film's story is about: “Mahnaz, a 45-year-old nurse, is raising her children alone. As she prepares to marry her boyfriend, Hamid, her son Aliyar is expelled from school. When a tragic accident turns everything upside down, Mahnaz sets out to seek compensation.”

“Woman and Child " can be considered the most important film from the official and licensed part of Iranian cinema in the last two years to participate in one of the world's most important film festivals. Thus, representatives from both the official and unofficial parts of Iranian cinema will be present this year at Cannes.

Last year, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” by Mohammad Rasoulof, which was made in Iran secretly and without observing the restrictive islamic laws, was screened at Cannes and won the Special Jury Prize.

In a post on his Instagram, Mohammad Rasoulof congratulated Saeed Roustayi and his colleagues on the selection of his film to compete at the Cannes Film Festival's main section, writing: “I hope the day is near when Iranian filmmakers can make their films freely and without any kind of coercion.” Roustayi also thanked Mohammad Rasoulof by leaving a short reply.

The 78th annual Cannes Film Festival will take place from 13 to 24 May 2025. French actress Juliette Binoche will serve as jury president for the main competition.