Cannes-winning 'It Was Just an Accident' to open Oct. 1 in Korea in world premiere

Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi's Palme d'Or winner "It Was Just an Accident" will hit Korean theaters Oct. 1, the earliest theatrical release worldwide alongside France.

The film, which claimed top honors at this year's 78th Cannes Film Festival in May, follows a group of former political prisoners who kidnap a man they believe tortured them during an interrogation. It is scheduled for North American release Oct. 15 via distributor Neon.

Local distributor Green Narae Media locked in the rights during a screening at this year's Cannes Film Market before the film was crowned winner, a company official said.

"Since director Panahi is receiving the Asian filmmaker of the year award at Busan this year, we pushed for the earliest possible release," the official told The Korea Herald on Tuesday. "He gave us the green light — he's been to Korea several times and has a real connection with audiences here."

The acquisition marks Green Narae's fourth Palme d'Or winner, following "Dheepan" (2015), "Triangle of Sadness" (2022) and "Anatomy of a Fall" (2023). This year, the company also secured Joachim Trier's "Sentimental Value" and Bi Gan's "Resurrection," which took home the runner-up Grand Prix and Special Jury prize at Cannes, respectively.

Panahi will receive the Asian filmmaker of the year honor at the 30th Busan International Film Festival, which runs Sept. 17-26 in venues across the port city. His 2011 documentary "This Is Not a Film," secretly shot while the director was under house arrest and banned from filmmaking by Iranian authorities, will screen as part of the festival's Asian cinema retrospective.