Martin Scorsese and Jafar Panahi shared the stage at the New York Film Festival, where Scorsese appealed to streaming platforms to promote Iranian cinema and Panahi reflected on exile, censorship, and the resilience of artists. The event, postponed for a week because of visa delays, coincided with the US premiere of Panahi’s It Was Just An Accident, his Cannes Palme d’Or-winning feature, which was filmed secretly and inspired by his imprisonment, according to the Deadline website.
After winning the prestigious Palme d’Or, Panahi returned to Iran where he is banned from filmmaking. However, the ban has not kept him from doing his job. The discussion between the two prominent filmmakers quickly turned to the condition of Iranian cinema and the challenges facing its filmmakers. Scorsese asked about the exodus of major directors in recent years. Panahi said the loss had been devastating for the nation’s film culture.
