WRIF Preview Screening: It Was Just an Accident @ the HOP

Join us for a White River Indie Festival 2026 Preview Screening event with our friends at the Hopkins Center!

Vahid, an unassuming mechanic, is suddenly reminded of his time in an Iranian prison when he has a chance encounter with Eghbal, a man he strongly suspects to be his sadistic former jailhouse captor. He kidnaps him but nagging uncertainty delays a fatal retribution. Panicked, Vahid rounds up a few of his fellow ex-prisoners to try and confirm Eghbal’s identity. As the bickering group drives around Tehran with their captive, they must confront how far to take matters into their own hands with their presumed tormentor.

Master filmmaker Jafar Panahi creates a searing moral thriller, where high-stakes tension combines with unexpected flurries of humor and the thoughtful, devastating choices between revenge and mercy. Through handheld camerawork and intimate long takes, Panahi crafts a profound meditation on trauma, empathy and the corrosive legacy of state violence.

D: Jafar Panahi, Iran/France, subtitled, 2025, 1h43m

Tickets: buy on the Hop website.*

*WRIF Passholders will gain entry for free! Buy passes here.

For a full WRIF schedule, tickets, film guide, and other information, visit the WRIF Homepage.