Not one to be muted by life's trials, path-breaking filmmaker Jafar Panahi, a two-time guest of Iran's tight-fisted government, is back in the saddle after resurfacing from his 2023 release. His most recent artistic endeavor, “It Was Just an Accident,” is a valiant testament to his resistance against imposed censorship, secretly filmed on the bustling lanes of Tehran.

Coordinating with his most trusted allies, Panahi chronicled the tale of ex-prisoners plotting an uncanny revenge against their believed tormentor. The mystery surrounding Panahi’s latest film extended to its editing. According to his discreet editor, Amir Etminan, this covert assignment necessitated quick thinking and minimalistic approach. “Working with any production houses or studios in Tehran was out of picture,” explained Etminan, who faced the challenge of editing the film without conventional tools.

Etminan's unique editing workflow involved a good old MacBook Air, avoiding an internet connection at all costs. He had to download and revamp his software suit overseas, ahead of the editing process. Sans a personal assistant, Etminan seamlessly juggled the editing and added logistical responsibilities, ultimately shaping the film via Adobe Premiere.

Panahi's paranoia about potential governmental meddling infused the production process with a palpable tension. Given the ominous possibility of a sudden military raid, the crew couldn't risk handling a full script. “We basically worked with a flexible script: a general outline of scenes without specific dialogues,” Etminan revealed. With this, Panahi would each morning deliver dialogue and scene specifics for the day, ensuring their low-key operation didn't grab attention.

The narrative of the film orbits revenge and its moral implications. The mechanic’s helper Vahid, played by Vahid Mobasseri, stumbles upon Peg Leg (Ebrahim Azizi) while he's stranded with his pregnant wife, thanks to a dog he accidently ran over. Recognizing Peg Leg as his former cruel jailor, Vahid is summed up with intense loathing but ultimately resists his urge to retaliate.

Etminan, while trimming the film, aimed to infuse some humor into its gritty realism. He noted that the spontaneous humor complimented the severe undertone of the film. Panahi didn't want to dramatize; the intent was to stick to a natural and bona fide depiction mirroring reality.

In the climax, Vahid along with Shiva (Mariam Afshari), leash Eghbal to a tree, interrogated under the eerie red glow of the car's taillights. Vahid who once suffered oppression, now finds himself in command. Yet when faced with the crossroads of vengeance or clemency, Vahid chooses to abandon violence. This powerful denouement symbolizes Panahi’s strong message: retaliation and violence don't solve problems, and mercy should prevail.

Etminan confirmed that the film’s conclusion and underlying message was consciously designed: the final shot leaves audiences with an image of Vahid striving for an ordinary life under the specter of an authoritarian past, augmented by the echoes of Eghbal’s peg leg in his wake. Panahi’s central message thus stresses on morality over vengeance, portraying his belief through the compelling tale of “It Was Just an Accident”.