"Golden Palm" winner "The Incident" by Iranian director Jafar Panahi will be screened in Burgas as part of the program of the 24th edition of "Sofia Film Fest on the Coast", which will be held from March 19 to 27 in Burgas.

To date, the film has nearly 40 awards and over 120 nominations, including nominations for "Oscar" in the categories for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay, nominations for the European Film Awards in three categories, nominations for "Golden Globe" for Best Motion Picture, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director and Best Screenwriter, as well as a nomination for "BAFTA" for Best Foreign Language Film.

"The Incident" follows the story of a family that experiences a road accident, and this accidental incident is transformed into a series of events with important personal and social consequences. True to his approach to film narratives, Panahi uses a deceptively simple plot twist and gradually delves into complex moral issues, criticism of social norms and the fragile essence of humanity and existence.

Jafar Panahi is one of the most recognized Iranian directors in the world, winner of many awards from the most significant film festivals, including "Golden Lion" from the Venice Film Festival, "Golden Bear" from the Berlinale, "Golden Palm" from Cannes, and is a key figure in the Iranian "new wave" with his socially engaged films. His feature film debut "The White Balloon" (1995) won the "Golden Camera" in Cannes, which is the first major recognition for Iranian cinema at this festival. Panahi's films explore themes such as repression, social injustice and restrictions on freedom in Iran. Despite his many arrests and bans, he continues to make films that raise sharp social and political questions. Immediately after the issuance of the latest sentence against him by the Iranian government, he dedicated several of the awards for his film to "the artists who continue to film in silence, without support, often risking everything they have, in the name of their belief in truth and humanity".

After years of censorship, persecution, imprisonment and restrictions, "The Incident" is the first film by the Iranian director after his release from prison in Iran.

Jafar Panahi was one of the first foreign guests of "Sofia Film Fest on the Coast" at the second edition of the festival in 2004.

"Sofia Film Fest on the Coast" will be held from March 19 to 27, 2026 at the NHK Cultural Center in Burgas. This year's edition of the festival will be free of charge.

The 24th "Sofia Film Fest on the Coast" is organized with the support of Burgas Municipality.