Oman today_ At the beginning of 2026, IFC Center will host a special program showcasing a selection of films by Abbas Kiarostami and Jafar Panahi. The program will run from January 2 to January 8, 2026, and follows the screening of Panahi’s film It Was Just an Accident, which appeared on the Academy Awards’ initial shortlist.
Titled Panahi & Kiarostami: Two Masters, the event was proposed by American critic and writer Godfrey Cheshire and offers New York audiences the opportunity to engage more deeply with the body of work of these two influential Iranian filmmakers.
Cheshire notes that despite the significant attention received by It Was Just an Accident, many viewers remain unaware of the breadth and distinctiveness of Panahi’s career. For this reason, the program will screen nine of his earlier feature films, including The White Balloon, This Is Not a Film, and No Bears. Alongside these, nine feature films by Abbas Kiarostami will also be shown, providing a more complete picture of the artistic journeys of both directors.
The White Balloon, written by Abbas Kiarostami, was Panahi’s first feature film and was released in 1995. Panahi has recently won three Gotham Awards for It Was Just an Accident and received four Golden Globe Awards nominations, including Best International Feature Film. From Kiarostami’s body of work, Through the Olive Trees and Taste of Cherry—the latter a winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival—will be screened as part of the program.