Jafar Panahi Returns to Cheers in Tehran as Palme d'Or Victory Prompts Diplomatic Spat Between France and Iran
Panahi arrived at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on Monday morning greeted by applause, as he hugged friends and fans who presented him with flowers when the revered auteur descended the escalator from passport control, as seen on social media posts.
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Meanwhile, also on social media, a spat has erupted after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called Panahi's victory 'a gesture of resistance against the Iranian regime's oppression' in a post on X. This in turn prompted an irked reaction from Tehran.
'I am not an art expert, but we believe that artistic events and art in general should not be exploited to pursue political objectives,' said Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.
Panahi was able to travel to Cannes to promote his surreptitiously shot film after being incarcerated twice for 'propaganda against the state' and banned from making films, speaking to the press, and leaving Iran for more than 14 years.
'It Was Just an Accident' is about a group of former political prisoners who kidnap a man whom they believe to be their former interrogator and torturer. The film, which the director in an interview with Variety said was inspired by his experiences in an Iranian prison, has now given Panahi, who is 64, the rare distinction of having won the top prize at all three major European film festivals, after taking Berlin's Golden Bear for 'Taxi' in 2015 and the Golden Lion at Venice for 'The Circle' in 2000. Panahi was not able to attend those festivals due to his ban which was lifted in April 2023.
Iranian media have largely ignoring Jafar Panahi's momentous Cannes Palme d'Or victory.
Though Iran's state news agency IRNA trumpeted Panahi's award with a picture of him and the headline 'The world's largest film festival made history for Iranian cinema,' news that Panahi scooped the Palme did not appear on the websites of the nation's top English-language news outlets, Tehran Times and Iran Daily on Sunday.
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Newsweek
4 minutes ago
- Newsweek
One Trump Ceasefire is Already Starting to Fray
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Los Angeles Times
33 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Let's unpack our toxic fixation with ‘the TikToker who fell in love with her psychiatrist'
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Many responded so negatively that Hilty turned off her comments for a while as hundreds made posts across social media eviscerating or satirizing the series. Soon enough, as happens with viral content, legacy media got involved and all the catch-up 'unpacking' began. Unlike Reesa Teesa, whose multi-post tale of marriage to a pathological liar went viral on TikTok last year and led to a TV adaptation, Hilty hasn't become a universal figure of sympathy and courage. As she recently told People magazine, she has received 'nonstop bullying' and threats along with the dozens of DMs thanking her for sharing her story. She has been accused of racism (the psychiatrist is a man of color), narcissism and, well, insanity. (She says she is, however, open to having her story adapted to film or television.) To say the posts are troubling is an understatement. 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Cosmopolitan
34 minutes ago
- Cosmopolitan
Hair repair for £10! This bond treatment dupe transforms damaged strands in just one week
After years of bleaching and heat styling, plus a round of isotretinoin, which literally had my strands falling out left, right, and centre, my hair has been in need of some TLC for some time. While I opted to chop it all off recently and 'start again', I'm now growing out my bob with the help of every hair product I can get my hands (see: strands) on. I've used the likes of OLAPLEX and Philip Kingsley's Elasticizer for a while, and I'm a big fan of K18, too. There's no denying that all of the above have worked wonders on my damaged hair, but the same can't be said for the impact they have on my bank account. You'll understand my delight, then, when I heard about a K18 dupe going viral – with reviews claiming it's "better" than the original hair mask, that being: The Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask. Hairification's H24 Complex Leave-in Repair Mask promises to "reverse damage and return stressed strands to former glory in just four minutes." It's clinically proven to strengthen hair by up to 312 per cent, and has been formulated with four proprietary ingredients for maximum impact. These include Fibrehance (to build new bonds within the hair), Procutigen Bond (to prevent damage, breakage, and moisture loss), Col-Frag (to hydrate and smooth), and Elaya Renova (to protect the hair). It's this combination of ingredients – along with the familiar-looking branding – that has prompted customers to compare Hairification's H24 to the iconic K18 we all know and love. That being said, it's worth noting that K18 has a patented formula, so nothing can actually be a real dupe of it. Nevertheless, one person said in their review (via Boots) that H24 is a "fantastic dupe" of K18, while someone else points to how it's a fraction of the price (more on that in a moment). Over on TikTok, there's also plenty of rave reviews for the so-called dupe. So, does it live up to the hype? I put it to the test. Before I begin, let me start by saying how much of a K18 fan I am. Honestly, it's been a miracle treatment for my hair, and I've recommended it to plenty of friends. For me, however, cost is a big factor in my beauty routine, and a bottle of K18 isn't always within my budget, prompting me to seek out alternatives. As such, when I first opened my Hairification package, I was impressed with the size (and therefore value for money) of the Complex Leave-in Repair Mask. At 50ml, it's equal in size to the K18 equivalent, but is £60 cheaper depending on where you purchase it from. I paired Hairification's H24 mask with the H24 Hair Repair Peptide Shampoo, which I used twice, then skipped on conditioner as directed. This felt strange at first, but I'm a trust the process girlie. After washing, I towel-dried my hair, then it was time for the main event. The mask's directions say to apply one to three pumps, and, given the value for money of the product, I wasn't afraid to actually go for those three pumps. I even added another one after that. In comparison, I often scrimp on my K18 mask, probably applying way less than my hair needs because I'm afraid of getting through the bottle too quickly. Immediately after application, my hair felt smooth, and my hairbrush glided through it as I switched on the hairdryer. I spent the evening stroking my strands in disbelief at how silky they were after just one use. By morning, my usually unruly bed-head was much more manageable, and I didn't need to straighten my hair or add more products to make myself *presentable* for the day. After a week of using both Hairification products, I have to say, my strands are noticeably sleeker, softer, and healthier-looking. Although I can't decide whether the results are better than the K18 OG mask, thanks to the affordable price point of Hairification, the H24 mask has definitely earned its place in my hair care routine going forward, which my strands will no doubt be very pleased about. Happy hair masking!
