• Jafar Panahi's "It Was Just an Accident" won the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
• Panahi highlighted the importance of freedom in Iran during his acceptance speech.
• The festival faced a major power outage just before the awards ceremony, suspected to be linked to arson.
• Other notable awards included Best Actor for Wagner Moura and Best Actress for Nadia Melliti.

Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his film "It Was Just an Accident," which critiques oppression in Iran. The recognition marks a significant moment, as Panahi had been banned from leaving Iran for over 15 years, continuously creating films clandestinely under oppressive circumstances. He received a standing ovation as Cate Blanchett presented the award, reflecting the crowd's support for his perseverance, according to HuffPost, CBS News, and BBC.

During his acceptance speech, Panahi emphasized the critical need for unity among Iranians and the importance of freedom, stating, "No one should dare tell us what kind of clothes we should wear, what we should do, or what we should not do." This call reinforced his film's themes of resistance against tyranny, which aligns with the recent "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement in Iran. His remarks resonated widely, being highlighted by South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera.

Amid the celebration, the festival experienced a power outage suspected to be linked to arson earlier in the day, disrupting events just before the awards ceremony. Power was restored shortly before the stars walked the red carpet, but the incident added a layer of chaos to the festival's conclusion. This was backed by reports from Le Monde and NPR.

In addition to Panahi’s win, Joachim Trier received the Grand Prix award for his film "Sentimental Value," while Kleber Mendonça Filho's "The Secret Agent" garnered accolades for Best Director and Best Actor for Wagner Moura. Nadia Melliti took home the Best Actress award for her performance in "The Little Sister." These highlights showcase the diverse talent at Cannes this year, as covered by Le Monde and Le Monde.