The Russian Ministry of Culture has declined to issue a distribution certificate for the Iranian thriller «A Simple Coincidence», the film’s distributor, Russian Reportage, reported.
The story follows a man named Ebgal who is mistakenly identified as a former intelligence officer alleged to have tortured detainees. The film’s release in Russia had been scheduled for October 30.
Directed by Jafar Panahi, «A Simple Coincidence» won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival this May. France selected the film as its official submission for the 2025–26 Academy Awards.
This is not the first time an Iranian film’s release has been halted in Russia: in 2022 Ali Abbasi’s «Holy Spider» faced a similar cancellation.
