Festival de Cannes 2025, A Simple Accident, Fuori and A Private Life

A Private Life team ©YesICannes.com

The Cannes Film Festival presented Un Simple Accident by Jafar Panahi, Fuori by Mario Martone and A Private Life by Rebecca Zlotowski.

A Private Life : on the seventh day of competition, the Festival de Cannes 2025 saw the entry of A Simple Accident, the 12th feature film by Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who, seven years after Three Faces, Best Screenplay Award in 2018, returns to Competition with, as always, the question of freedoms in Iran. Fuori by Mario Martone is a biographical film about the Italian actress and writer Goliarda Sapienza, inspired by the book L’università di Rebibbia, which recounts her time in prison. A Private Life by Rebecca Zlotowski, screened Out of Competition, features Jodie Foster and Daniel Auteuil. In 2013, Rebecca Zlotowski was already at Cannes with Grand Central, in the official selection of Un Certain Regard.

A Simple Accident ©JafarPanahiProductionsLesFilmsPelleas

Filming, an act of resistance

For Jafar Panahi, filming remains an act of resistance from within the land of the mullahs. Arrests, imprisonment, house arrests, travel bans, and filming prohibitions have never extinguished his determination to denounce the restrictions on freedoms in the Islamic Republic. Against all odds, Jafar Panahi has always continued to make films by defying constraints, often clandestinely. Despite the limited resources at his disposal, he has managed to create masterpieces proclaiming his freedom as a man. In A Simple Accident, Jafar Panahi, known for The Circle, Three Faces, or Taxi Tehran, once again explores the complexities of the human condition through a seemingly simple yet profoundly moving story. The film follows an innocuous event that, through a series of coincidences and chain reactions, takes on unexpected proportions.

Jafar Panahi ©Majid Saeedi

Constraint as a creative driving force

A Simple Accident begins, as often with Panahi, in an apparently mundane daily life, a minor accident! Panahi addresses universal themes such as chance, responsibility, and the unforeseen consequences of our actions. The film invites reflection on the fragility of life and how seemingly insignificant events can upend entire existences.

A Simple Accident ©YesICannes.com

Minimalist, realistic style

Panahi uses his minimalist and realistic style to capture the beauty and tragedy of the small things in life. Natural and authentic, his shots are often understated yet full of meaning, with particular attention paid to the details and expressions of the characters. What seems to be a minor event gradually transforms into a profound exploration of the paradoxes of Iranian society, bureaucracy, surveillance, but also humanity and solidarity. In A Simple Accident, Jafar Panahi once again uses constraint as a driving force for creation. The cast includes Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, and Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr.

Fuori ©DR

Women’s prison

Mario Martone, known for his demanding cinema often imbued with a strong historical and social dimension, immerses us this time in the fate of the Italian actress and writer Goliarda Sapienza. The Neapolitan filmmaker was inspired by the book L’università di Rebibbia, which recounts her time in prison. Goliarda Sapienza (Valeria Golino) has been working for ten years on what will be her masterpiece, The Art of Joy. Desperate to see her manuscript rejected by all publishing houses, she commits a theft that costs her reputation and social standing. Incarcerated in the largest women’s prison in Italy, she will meet thieves, junkies, and prostitutes there. Her encounter with the inmates turns out to be a rebirth experience. Once out of prison, Goliarda forms a deep bond with Roberta (Matilda De Angelis), a repeat offender and political activist.

©DR

Hope in the midst of adversity

Fuori is the only Italian film in competition at the Cannes Film Festival 2025. The Neapolitan filmmaker returns to competition three years after the atavistic drama Nostalgia. Martone does not just show the difficulties. He also explores moments of solidarity, resilience, and the ability of human beings to create connections and reinvent themselves even in the most adverse circumstances. The film is a celebration of the individual’s ability to persevere and find sparks of beauty and hope amidst adversity. The soundtrack, perhaps blending traditional sounds of the country with more contemporary compositions, contributes to the film’s atmosphere, highlighting nostalgia, melancholy, and sometimes moments of hope, such as when the song of the free women is echoed by those still imprisoned. In the cast, the presence of pop singer Elodie.

A Private Life ©Jérôme Prébois

Between professional duty and personal obsession

In Private Life, French director Rebecca Zlotowski ventures into psychological intrigue with a stellar cast! This sixth feature film ventures into the realm of psychological mystery, anchored by the captivating performances of Jodie Foster and Daniel Auteuil. Rebecca Zlotowski, known for her nuanced explorations of relationships and female experiences, marks a deviation from her art with A Private Life. The film focuses on Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster), a renowned psychiatrist who is deeply disturbed by the death of one of her patients. Convinced that the death was not what it seemed, but rather a murder, she begins a private investigation to uncover the truth. As she delves deeper, she unravels a web of secrets, blurring the lines between professional duty and personal obsession.

Jodie Foster ©YesICannes.com

Growing sense of anxiety

Zlotowski, who also co-wrote the screenplay, creates a narrative that is both intellectually engaging and emotionally resonant. The film avoids easy answers, preferring a slow-burn approach that allows the tension to build gradually. The pace, although deliberate, is never slow, thanks to the captivating performances and the director’s keen eye for detail. Jodie Foster delivers a performance of remarkable depth and subtlety. She portrays Lillian as a woman of intellect and composure, but also as someone who struggles with her own vulnerabilities and a growing sense of unease. Foster’s ability to convey a complex inner life with minimal dialogue showcases her skill. Daniel Auteuil, a pillar of French cinema, provides a strong counterpoint, adding layers of ambiguity and intrigue to the events. A sophisticated and captivating foray into psychological mystery with Virgine Efira, Mathieu Amalric, Vincent Lacoste.