India, Jan. 7 -- Four political prisoners in Iran, each tormented by a cruel man during their imprisonment, are drawn together by the lingering pull of vengeance. They grapple with the prospect of murdering the man, but only after they have identified him. Here's the catch: none of the former prisoners, with the exception of one, possess the intrinsic resolve to kill a man - even one who has caused them great suffering. The tormentor, who has an artificial limb, is blindfolded, locked in a trunk, entirely powerless. The prisoners practise restraint, using the unverified nature of the man's identity as a rational cover for their inability to act violently.

Jafar Panahi's Palme d'Or-winning It Was Just An Accident, rages against the author...