2026 Oscars Best Director Snub: Jafar Panahi Deserves Better

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The announcement of the 2026 Oscar nominations, as expected, sparked both disappointment and excitement among movie fans. It’s always a lively time of year when awards season rolls around, as people become deeply invested in the stories behind the films and who deserves recognition.

As a movie lover, I don’t think the 2026 Oscar nominations are any more controversial than usual – we always have debates! But 2025 was just an incredible year for film, possibly the best we’ve seen in a decade. That means the competition for every award was fierce, and unfortunately, some really great movies and performances were bound to get overlooked. It’s just the nature of the beast when you have so many strong contenders.

Certain omissions from the nominations are especially frustrating, both because of what they reveal about how the Academy chooses winners and because they’ve upset the most interesting storylines of awards season. It’s therefore unsurprising that the 2026 Best Director Oscar nominations have been met with strong criticism from many in the film industry, as they disappointed a lot of people.

Jafar Panahi Does Not Have A Best Director Oscar Nomination

Many expected Iranian director Jafar Panahi to be nominated for the Best Director Oscar, especially after his strong campaign for his 2025 film, It Was Just An Accident. Critics are calling it his best work yet, praising the actors’ dedication, the film’s honest and straightforward dialogue, and its thoughtful look at political imprisonment in Iran. Panahi’s calm and deliberate directing style also contributes to the film’s power.

It was surprising to learn Jafar Panahi wasn’t nominated for the Best Director Oscar in 2026. This feels especially disappointing considering the Academy has often overlooked his significant contributions, and many believed this year would finally be his chance for recognition.

Despite facing strong competition from other excellent films, Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just An Accident is widely considered a masterpiece of the 21st century. Therefore, the decision not to recognize his work isn’t justified, and the resulting criticism is completely understandable.

Panahi Is Awaiting Arrest Once He Returns Home

This year’s Oscar nominations included some surprising omissions, but the most notable is the lack of recognition for Jafar Panahi as Best Director. After the awards season ends, Panahi will likely face imprisonment upon returning to Iran, a return he had been delaying to focus on the film’s campaign.

Panahi isn’t trying to evade authorities; he’s staying put because he’s dedicated to promoting his film. ‘It Was Just An Accident’ earned him his best chance yet at a Best Director nomination. It’s therefore deeply disappointing to see his Oscar hopes dashed by not being nominated.

Jafar Panahi Was Nominated In Two Golden Globe Categories

Despite winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2025, the awards campaign for It Was Just An Accident hasn’t gone as well as anticipated, particularly for Jafar Panahi. While the filmmaker hasn’t received Best Director nominations from many major award shows, one unexpected honor has generated significant Oscar buzz for both him and the film.

Earlier this year, Panahi received Golden Globe nominations for both directing and writing. While he’s had a very successful awards season for his screenplay, he hasn’t received much recognition for his directing. Considering the Golden Globes often predict Oscar nominations, it was both surprising and disheartening that he wasn’t nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards.

It Was Just An Accident Has Also Been Snubbed For Best Picture

While 2025 was a strong year for movies overall, the film It Was Just An Accident deserved more than its two Oscar nominations. Considering that Train Dreams—which didn’t gain much awards-season momentum—still outperformed it, the limited recognition feels particularly unfair.

Despite being a strong contender, It Was Just An Accident was surprisingly overlooked by the Academy Awards, not even receiving a Best Picture nomination. The film seems perfectly suited to their tastes – it’s short, sharp, often humorous, and makes a clear political statement, all while prioritizing strong acting and a deliberate, focused pace. Even a nomination for Best International Feature Film feels inadequate, especially when compared to some films that did receive Best Picture nominations.

Panahi Isn’t The Only Foreign-Language Filmmaker To Be Snubbed This Year

The situation is even more disappointing for the Academy because Jafar Panahi wasn’t nominated for Best Director, especially considering Park Chan-wook was also overlooked in the same category. Critics universally praised Park’s work on “No Other Choice,” yet the film received no nominations at all from the Academy.

The 2026 Golden Globes showed that movies from around the world are becoming increasingly popular, but the recent Oscar nominations paint a mixed picture. While films like Sentimental Value, featuring Wagner Moura, have found success, the stories of filmmakers like Jafar Panahi and his film, No Other Choice, highlight a gap in recognition. The Academy Awards need to improve and acknowledge more outstanding international films, such as It Was Just An Accident.

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2026-02-01 18:09