At the Busan International Film Festival, Iranian Palme d'Or winner Jafar Panahi criticized the influence of local governments on Oscar submissions. He argued that this system poses an obstacle for filmmakers from non-democratic countries. Panahi, whose film "It Was Just an Accident" won the Palme d'Or and was submitted to the Oscars by France, emphasized the need for a system that allows independent filmmakers directly into the competition, without government approval.

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