Sean Baker’s “Anora,” a comic book however devastating Brooklyn odyssey a few intercourse employee who marries the son of a rich Russian oligarch, has received the Cannes Movie Competition’s high award, the Palme d’Or.
Baker accepted the prize together with his film’s star, Mikey Madison, watching within the viewers on the Cannes closing ceremony Saturday.
The win for “Anora” marks a brand new excessive level for Baker, the director of “The Florida Challenge.” It’s additionally, remarkably, the fifth straight Palme d’Or received by indie distributor Neon, following “Parasite,” “Titane,” “Triangle of Unhappiness” and final yr’s winner, “Anatomy of a Fall.”
“I don’t actually know what’s taking place proper now,” mentioned Baker.
Whereas “Anora” was arguably probably the most acclaimed movie of the competition, its win was a slight shock.
Many anticipated both the light Indian drama “All We Think about As Mild” or the Iranian movie “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” to win.
Each of these movies additionally took residence prizes.
It wasn’t the one shock of the closing ceremony, although. Earlier than George Lucas was given an honorary Palme d’Or, his previous pal and typically collaborator Francis Ford Coppola appeared to current it to him, reuniting two of probably the most pivotal figures of the final half-century of American moviemaking.
“All We Think about As Mild,” about sisterhood in fashionable Mumbai, received the Grand Prix, Cannes’ second-highest honor.
Payal Kapadia’s second function was the primary Indian in competitors in Cannes in 30 years.
The jury awarded a particular prize to Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” a drama made secretly in Iran.
Days forward of the movie’s premiere, Rasoulof, dealing with an eight-year jail sentence, fled Iran on foot.
His movie, which incorporates actual footage from the 2022-2023 demonstrations in Iran, channels Iranian oppression right into a household drama.
The Cannes crowd met an emotional Rasoulof with a prolonged standing ovation.
Coralie Fargeat’s physique horror movie “The Substance,” starring Demi Moore as a Hollywood actress who goes to gory extremes to stay youthful, received for finest screenplay.
“I actually consider that films can change the world, so I hope this film shall be a bit stone to construct new foundations,” mentioned Fargeat. “I actually suppose we want a revolution and I don’t suppose it has actually began but.”
Some thought Moore may take finest actress however that award as an alternative went to an ensemble of actors: Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz for Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Perez,” a Spanish-language musical a few Mexican drug lord who transitions to a lady.
Gascón, who accepted the award, is the primary trans actor to win a serious prize at Cannes.
“Emilia Perez” additionally received Cannes’ jury prize, giving a uncommon two awards at a competition the place prizes are normally unfold round.
Greatest actor went to Jesse Plemons for Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Sorts of Kindness.”
Within the movie, three tales are advised with largely the identical firm of actors. Plemons, a standout in a number of chapters, didn’t attend the closing ceremony.
AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Getty Pictures
Portuguese director Miguel Gomes received finest director for his “Grand Tour,” an Asian odyssey wherein a person flees his fiancée from Rangoon in 1917.
“Typically I get fortunate,” shrugged Gomes.
The Digital camera d’Or, the prize for finest first function throughout all of Cannes official choices, went to Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel for “Armand,” starring “The Worst Particular person within the World” star Renate Reinsve.
Tøndel is the grandson of Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman and Norwegian actor Liv Ullman.
Through the transient awards ceremony, Lucas was to be given an honorary Palme d’Or.
Through the competition, Cannes gave the identical tribute to Meryl Streep and the Japanese anime manufacturing facility Studio Ghibli.