‘One Battle After Another’ Takes Best Feature; Three wins for JAFAR PANAHI

Wednesday, December 3, 2025 -The night belonged to One Battle After Another — it captured Best Feature at the 2025 Gotham Awards. The win is especially notable because the film is a big-budget studio production, unlike the typically smaller, indie-driven winners at the Gothams. Its success marks a striking moment for the movie as the awards season kicks off.

But the spotlight was equally intense for Jafar Panahi, whose film It Was Just an Accident swept three major categories — Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature. The sweep is especially powerful given that Panahi had been sentenced in absentia by Iranian authorities just hours before the ceremony.

Panahi dedicated his wins to independent filmmakers worldwide — especially those working under oppressive conditions, often risking everything to tell stories that matter. His emotional speeches and the broader recognition of It Was Just an Accident send a clear signal: art that challenges power can still reach the world stage — even under the toughest circumstances.