Neon has set an October 15 awards corridor North American release for Jafar Panahi’s Palme D’Or winner It Was Just An Accident.
The company, which five years ago shepherded Parasite from its Palme D’Or win to the best picture Oscar, is planning an awards push for Panahi’s film in categories including best picture, director, original screenplay and international film.
Neon acquired North American rights to It Was Just An Accident at Cannes, a few days before the acclaimed drama won the festival’s top prize. The Cannes award made the film, which has since won the Sydney Film Prize at that city’s festival, the sixth consecutive Palme D’Or winner for Neon.
Accident is Panahi’s first film since his second spell in an Iranian prison and follows the events sparked by a minor accident that sets in motion a series of escalating consequences. It was produced by Panahi and Philippe Martin and co-produced by Sandrine Dumas and Christel Henon, with David Thion and Lilina Eche serving as associate producers. The film is a Les Films Pelléas and Jafar Panahi Production from Iran/France and Luxembourg. Mk2 Films represents the international rights. Mubi acquired the film for multiple international territories.
At Cannes, Neon also acquired North American rights to Oliver Laxe’s Sirât, Kleber Mendonca Filho’s The Secret Agent and Ugo Bienvenu’s animated feature Arco, which recently won the top Cristal Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
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