The 77th Cannes Film Festival has ended on a high note, celebrating the best of global cinema with unexpected wins, historic accolades, and heartwarming moments.
- May 26, 2024
AceShowbiz - The closing ceremonies of the 77th Cannes Film Festival marked a night full of surprises, emotional speeches, and historic wins. Sean Baker's "Anora," a screwball comedy about a Brooklyn sex worker, clinched the prestigious Palme d'Or, the festival's highest honor. A visibly emotional Baker took to the stage and said, "I don't really know what's happening right now," highlighting his surreal experience after years of hard work and dedication to his craft.
This year's festival, led by Greta Gerwig, the first American female director to head the jury, was marked by its eclectic selection and the diversity of its honorees. The juried competition within the festival, which featured 22 films, showcased potential Oscar contenders and provided a glimpse into how cinema insiders view their peers' works.
Among the night's notable wins was Jacques Audiard's "Emilia Perez," which saw its ensemble cast, including Selena Gomez, Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana, and Adriana Paz, share the Best Actress award. This film, a Spanish-language musical about a Mexican drug lord who transitions to a woman, not only earned acting accolades but also bagged the Jury Prize, making it one of the evening's big winners.
Interestingly, Karla Sofia's win marks a historic moment as she becomes the first trans actor to receive a major prize at Cannes. Gerwig praised their collective performance, stating, "Women together - that's something we wanted to honor when we made this award. Each of them is a standout, but together transcendent."
Jesse Plemons took home the Best Actor award for his multiple roles in "Kinds of Kindness," directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Plemons portrayed diverse characters through an intricate narrative that amazed the audiences and critics alike.
The Grand Prix, Cannes' second-highest honor, went to Payal Kapadia's "All We Imagine As Light," a poignant drama about sisterhood set in modern Mumbai. This win marked another milestone as Kapadia became the first Indian director in competition at Cannes in thirty years. She used her acceptance speech to highlight the struggles of the workers at Cannes, showing solidarity by displaying a "Sous les ecrans la deche" button.
Mohammad Rasoulof's "The Seed of the Sacred Fig," a political melodrama reflecting the turmoil of Iranian society, earned a special prize from the jury. This project holds particular significance as Rasoulof managed to complete his film under the threat of imprisonment.
Additionally, the festival's special moments included Francis Ford Coppola presenting George Lucas with an honorary Palme d'Or, celebrating Lucas' transformative impact on cinema. Other honorable mentions included Halfdan Ullman Tondel's "Armand" for Best First Feature and Nebojsa Slijepcevic's "The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent" for Best Short Film.
The 77th Cannes Film Festival concluded successfully, celebrating cinematic excellence, historical milestones, and offering a fresh perspective on international filmmaking.
