Jafar Panahi’s ‘It Was Just An Accident’ Wins Best Film At Asia Pacific Screen Awards

Jafar Panahi’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident (Un Simple Accident) won Best Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards last night.

The Iranian auteur also landed a Best Director prize for the political thriller, which is France’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Oscars.

The Jury Grand Prize went to Lost Land (Harà Watan), Japanese filmmaker Akio Fujimoto’s exploration of displaced Rohingya children. Other winners include Singaporean filmmaker Tan Siyou and producer Fran Borgia receiving Best Youth Film for Amoeba, and Korean animation The Square from Kim Bo-sol winning Best Animated Film. 

Sepideh Farsi’s Gaza film Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk received Best Documentary Film, a profound testament to lived experience from within Gaza, as a special mention went to Always, Deming Chen’s meditation on boyhood and memory in rural China. Japan’s Chie Hayakawa won Best Screenplay for Renoir, which also saw Yui Suzuki receive a Best New Performer award. Hong Kong actor Sean Lau won Best Performance for Papa. 

The FIAPF Award for outstanding contribution to film in the Asia Pacific region went to Australian producer Greer Simpkin for her work in the Aussie film industry.

Tracey Vieira, Chair of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, said the awards reflected “one of the most diverse collections of perspectives” the event had showcased to date.

Motion Picture Association President and Managing Director for Asia Pacific Urmila Venugopalan added: “With more than 70 nations represented and an extraordinary mosaic of cultures, voices, and cinematic traditions, the ASPAs stand as a true global celebration of film. The Asia Pacific region is delivering stories that resonate across borders and speak to audiences in every corner of the world.”

FULL WINNERS LIST – BY CATEGORY

BEST FILM 
It Was Just an Accident
Iran, France, Luxembourg
Directed by Jafar Panahi | Produced by Jafar Panahi, Philippe Martin

JURY GRAND PRIZE 
Lost Land (Harà Watan)
Japan, France, Malaysia, Germany
Directed by Akio Fujimoto | Produced by Kazutaka Watanabe

BEST YOUTH FILM 
Amoeba
Singapore, Netherlands, France, Spain, Korea
Directed by Tan Siyou | Produced by Fran Borgia

BEST ANIMATED FILM 
The Square
Korea
Directed by Kim Bo-sol | Produced by Park So-hye, Kim Bo-sol

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM 
Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk
France, Palestine
Directed by Sepideh Farsi | Produced by Javad Djavahery

SPECIAL MENTION — DOCUMENTARY 

Always
USA, France, People’s Republic of China, Taiwan
Directed by Deming Chen | Produced by Hansen Lin

BEST DIRECTOR 
Jafar Panahi — It Was Just an Accident
Iran, France, Luxembourg

BEST SCREENPLAY 
Chie Hayakawa — Renoir 
Japan, France, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Qatar

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY 
Batara Goempar — Samsara 
Indonesia

BEST PERFORMANCE 
Sean Lau — Papa 
Hong Kong
A deeply felt portrayal of a father grappling with grief, memory and forgiveness. 

BEST NEW PERFORMER 

Yui Suzuki — Renoir 
Japan, France, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Qatar  

CULTURAL DIVERSITY AWARD 

Black Red Yellow
Kyrgyzstan
Directed & Produced by Aktan Arym Kubat

YOUNG CINEMA AWARD (in partnership with NETPAC) 

Rohan Parashuram Kanawade — Cactus Pears (Sabar Bonda)
India, United Kingdom, Canada

FIAPF AWARD 
Greer Simpkin (Australia)

2025 MPA APSA ACADEMY FILM FUND RECIPIENTS 
Anocha Suwichakornpong for the Thai project Fiction.  
Kareem Abeed for the Syrian documentary Where is My Father. 
Yosep Anggi Noen and Gita Fara for The Sea Speaks His Name. 
Thien An Pham with Jeremy Chua for the Vietnamese fiction feature Heaven in a Wildflower. 

FILMMAKER FORUM AWARD (presented by The Post Lounge Group) 
Prabh ath Gurung – Son of a Honey Hunter