The Russian Ministry of Culture has declined to issue a distribution certificate for the Iranian thriller "A Simple Coincidence".

Axar.az informs directed by Jafar Panahi, the movie won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival this May.

France selected the film as its official submission for the 2025–26 Academy Awards.

The reason for the ban on the film, which was set to premiere in Russian cinemas on October 30, has not been disclosed.

The story follows a man named Ebgal who is mistakenly identified as a former intelligence officer alleged to have tortured detainees.

The movie was shot in Iran without official approval and features female actors without hijabs, leading the Iranian authorities to place it on the list of banned works.