It Was Just an Accident

A man with a prosthetic leg drives at night with his wife and daughter and accidentally hits and kills a dog. He goes to a nearby garage for repairs, where a mechanic named Vahid recognizes him by the distinctive sound of his prosthetic leg during a phone call to his mother. This early incident sets the stage for a hidden past to surface.

The next day, Vahid shadows the same man, abducts him, and attempts to bury him in the desert. During this capture, Vahid tells him that he recognizes his voice and his stumbling walk as that of Eghbal, a former tormentor. The confrontation makes it clear that a long-buried past is at stake.

The captive denies any identity as Eghbal and begs Vahid and his companions not to kill him. He points out that his leg scars are recent, arguing they are not consistent with the torments allegedly suffered by Eghbal. The group deliberates on how to proceed rather than acting on impulse.

Vahid and Shiva seek answers by visiting Salar, a bookshop owner, hoping to confirm the man’s identity. Salar refuses to help identify the stranger but points them toward Shiva, a photographer who might recognize him. The exchange shifts the investigation from action to testimony.

Shiva senses that the man bears Eghbal’s scent, yet cannot be sure due to the torture they endured blindfolded. Goli confirms she was also tortured by Eghbal, reinforcing the possibility but underscoring the uncertainty. They decide to seek out Hamid for a definitive identification.

Hamid, Shiva’s former partner, identifies the captive as Eghbal after touching his legs and immediately demands his execution. Vahid and Shiva restrain him, insisting they first hear the captive testify. The tension tightens as the possibility of a confession hangs in the balance.

A cellphone embedded with the man rings, revealing his daughter on the other end who explains that his pregnant wife has fainted. The group drives the man's wife and newborn son to a hospital, where the mother gives birth, tying the case to a new life as a tangible consequence.

Frustrated, Hamid, Goli, and Ali decide to abandon Vahid and Shiva, leaving the two to pursue the truth with the captive. The shift in reliance places greater responsibility on Vahid and Shiva to elicit a confession. The group’s unity fractures at a critical moment.

Vahid and Shiva drive the man to a secluded location, tie him to a tree, and wake him to demand a confession. At first he again claims mistaken identity, but he gradually confesses that he is Eghbal and argues that his actions served the regime’s aims. The two recount their torture to him, seeking accountability.

The captive finally apologizes after a tense exchange in which Vahid and Shiva reveal the pain they endured. Accepting the apology, Vahid frees him and drives away with Shiva, closing the confrontation on a restrained but uncertain note. The act seems to neutralize a direct threat for the moment.

Later, Vahid and his mother prepare the van for his sister. A white car resembling Eghbal’s car appears nearby as Vahid goes inside the house to retrieve something. The sound of Eghbal’s squeaky prosthetic leg then nears, hinting that the cycle of threat may not be over.