Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know LIFESTYLE 22 ENTERTAINMENT November 7, 2025 From Prison To Palme D’or: Jafar Panahi’s Quiet Uprising In “It Was Just An Accident” M egha Majumdar’s “A Guardian and a Thief” is such an anxious book that even when you finally put it down, you’ll hear it sitting there on the shelf, panting. A finalist for this year’s National Book Award in fiction, it’s a perfect short novel: 200 pages of tightly honed panic about life in a collapsing society. The film ItWas Just an Accident by Jafar Panahi confronts a deeply unset- tling moral dilemma: when life gives you a chance for retribution, is it right to seize it — or does the very act of enacting justice turn you into what you condemn? At heart, this is a psychological dialogue between the impulses of the heart and the logic of the mind, set against the back- drop of systemic oppression. We meet a man who once suffered at the hands of a brutal prison guard — physically beaten, emotionally scarred, bearing visible and invisible wounds. Now working as a car mechanic, his life ap- pears quiet. But the past is not done with him: when the former guard’s car breaks down in his garage, the mechanic seizes his moment. He kidnaps the limping man who might be the one who tortured him, though doubt lingers: for others, the tell-tale signs are smell, face, feel. A group of fellow victims converge — some thirsting for revenge, others reluctant to embrace violence — and the tension coalesces into a final reckoning: what will they decide? And in the end, how will his choice serve or betray his own sense of healing? What elevates the film beyond a simple revenge thriller is its layered context: it is embedded in the Iranian experience of state violence and the silenced stories of victims. Panahi himself has endured years of bans, arrests, and travel restrictions for his filmmaking. The film becomes both a revenge narrative and a document of survival and resistance. Its low-budget feel and restrained style do not undermine its power — rather, they underscore it. The narrative tells rather than shows in conventional ways, inviting the viewer to inhabit the space of memory, suspicion, and trauma. In terms of its journey, the film pre- miered in competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2025, and took home the prestigious Palme d’Or. The U.S. distributor Neon released it theatri- cally on October 15, 2025, giving Ameri- can audiences access to this Iranian au- teur’s bold new work. Festival screenings in North America included the Toronto International Film Festival and NewYork appearances, helping amplify its acclaim. Ultimately, ItWas Just an Accident stands as an arthouse thriller rooted in the morality of vengeance and the quiet dignity of suffering. It asks: when the system fails to deliver justice, what be- comes of the individuals left behind? And when they take matters into their own hands, do they heal — or do they become entangled in the same cycles of violence they sought to escape? The film is steeped in Iranian trauma, yet its questions are universal — about power, pain, identity, and the delicate architecture of forgiveness. Director: Jafar Panahi Cast: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=nF04v-ze2Yc IG: @NeonRated Reviewed by Nidhi Kathuria, Sara Jahan Films PHOTO:YOUTUBE GRAB Should You Stretch Before A Run? The Answer May Surprise You T he question Do you need to stretch as part of your warmup before running? THE SCIENCE Before a race, you might see seasoned runners at the starting line sprinting or jumping up and down while they wait for go-time. But your warmup routine can be simple, especially if you are relatively new to running and are planning to walk or jog a shorter distance or a 5K race (3.1 miles) such as a Turkey Trot. The goal is to make the experience easier and more comfort- able. TheWashington Post asked experts what you need to do - and not do - to warm up before running. Here’s what they said. DON’T BOTHER WITH STRETCHING BEFORE YOUR RUN Although you might assume that static stretching - holding a pose to stretch the muscles - is the way to go, it’s not usu- ally recommended before a race unless it’s needed to help a runner with limited range of motion or flexibility. There are al- most no performance benefits for novice runners, and it may be counterproduc- tive for competitive runners, as research shows it can create a short-term reduction in maximal strength and power, which is more relevant for sprints than 5Ks. Instead, research suggests you should warm up with dynamic stretching - move- ments such as jumping jacks or high knees, which is a cardio move in which you stand with feet shoulder-width apart and lift your knees high to the chest. “Save static stretching for after the race,” said Duane Knudson, a professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Texas State University. At that point, you are warmed up and static stretching can help you maintain flexibil- ity and stretch out sore muscles. KEEP THE WARMUP SIMPLE The purpose of a warmup is to gradu- ally increase cardiovascular circulation and muscle temperature to prepare the body for physical activity. Numerous studies show this increased blood flow is important for our muscles to help with flexibility and reduce the risk of injury, among other things. And the gradual rise in heart rate reduces stress on the heart during the race. “If we’re not elevating the heart rate before the start of the race, and then they say ‘Go!’ and there’s a huge spike in heart rate - especially with novice runners - they’re going be out of breath. By elevating the heart rate for a very short period of time, there’s not a big surprise once the race starts,” said Eric Orton, an endurance coach. If you are a more experienced run- ner, the prerace warmup could include a 45-minute walk or a walk-run combina- tion from the car to the starting line. If you are a novice runner, a 10- to 15-minute brisk walk should be enough, Orton said. Once you arrive at the race, try to find a spot in the back of the crowd and do some short pickup drills, which are warmup movements that can include running for 20 to 30 seconds and resting for 90 seconds, then repeating the set four to five times, he said. If there is no room to run, you can jog in place, but make sure you are working hard enough to raise your heart rate, he said. If walking and talking with friends throughout the race, rather than running, is more your speed, you can simply march in place before the race starts or warm up during the race. Use the first half-mile to a mile to get your blood pumping and then gradually increase your pace, Orton said. “For those coffee-walkers, great,” he said. “Give yourself the permission to be excited about what you’re doing, and the warmup will just help you be more com- fortable during the race.” EASE INTO THE RACE People at the front of the starting line are likely to run faster, so if you want to walk, jog or race at a more casual pace, consider positioning yourself near the back of the pack, said Malachy McHugh, director of research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma at Northwell Health. If you’re new to racing, take it slow. Running that first mile very fast can lead to fatigue that you’ll be fighting the rest of the race, he said. WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW Particularly in cooler weather, it may be tempting to bundle up, which can cause you to overheat during the race. Dress in multiple layers such as a T-shirt, fleece and jacket. But once you arrive at the race location, do a pre-warmup - a brisk walk, jumping or jogging in place - and once your body heat rises, shed layers until you feel comfortable, Orton said. Keep your heart rate up with warmup activities until the race so you don’t get cold, he said. THE BOTTOM LINE A warmup routine can be as simple as a brisk walk, which can make a casual fun run more comfortable and pleasurable. - TheWashington Post By Lindsey Bever