It Was Just an Accident (Yek tasadof-e sadeh)

A man, nicknamed Eghbal, is driving at night with his wife and daughter when he hits and kills a dog. The accident badly damages his engine and causes the car to later break down. He pulls over to a nearby garage, encountering a former political prisoner named Vahid, who recognizes the squeaking sound of Eghbal's prosthetic leg as that of an intelligence officer who tortured him in prison and caused him permanent kidney damage.

Vahid stalks Eghbal to his house, kidnaps him, and prepares to bury him alive, but grows doubtful about the man's identity since he was blindfolded and had never seen his torturer's face. He reaches out to fellow ex-prisoners for confirmation and, riding around day and night, Vahid's van is occupied by these victims all seeking revenge on the man who brutally abused them. They contemplate the morality of killing their captive and whether he actually is who they believe him to be.

An integral part of these screenings is voting for your favourite film in the largest audience award in the world. We invite you to rate the LUX Audience Award films you have watched: five stars ‘excellent’ to one star ‘poor’. Rate by 12th April and don’t miss the chance to win a range of exciting prizes, including a trip to the European Parliament to attend the LUX Award Ceremony on 14th April 2026 and meet the directors and film crews of the nominees.

Proudly presented by Cork International Film Festival in partnership with the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland, European Film Academy and Arc Cinema, Cork.

Watch the five nominated films for the 2026 LUX Audience Award for FREE at The Arc Cinema's GATE Screen (Screen 6), a space dedicated to bold, independent and international cinema, from Friday 6th to Sunday 8th February.