The Uncaged Lens: Jafar Panahi's Defiant Cinema

His debut feature film, The White Balloon (1995), a deceptively simple tale about a little girl's determined quest to buy a goldfish on the eve of the Iranian New Year, garnered immediate international attention. Written by Abbas Kiarostami, the film won the prestigious Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, a prize for first-time directors. This victory marked a significant moment for Iranian cinema on the global stage and cemented Panahi's reputation as a promising new talent, blending childlike innocence with an insightful look at urban life.